Love Hurts Story 4
by AstridWinchester
Summary: <html><head></head>This story is No. 4 in the series "A Light in the Dark". You may wish to read the series introduction and the preceeding stories first. Summary: It's Dean Vs. Faith when he tries to help her see the error of her ways.</html>
1. Chapter 1

This story is No. 4 in the series "A Light in the Dark". You may wish to read the series introduction and the preceeding stories first.

Summary: It's Dean Vs. Faith when he tries to help her see the error of her ways. Characters aren't mine, rating is M

**Love Hurts**

**Chapter 1: Phone tag**

Dean glanced at his phone in the cup holder and rolled his eyes as it started to vibrate. It wasn't dad; they'd just separated a day ago for a case in Montana of what sounded like a shifter. God, he hated shifters. Sam was inside the diner he was parked outside of, getting a newspaper to look up some happenings in the town that'd narrow their case a little. No, it was Buffy again. She'd called at least 5 times in the last couple weeks that they'd been gone. He still hadn't figured things out with her and he wasn't going to answer the phone until he had.

His phone beeped to signal its owner that he had a voicemail and a missed call—as if he wasn't already aware of that—and with a sigh he reached over and grabbed it. May as well find out what she wanted, maybe it wasn't anything more serious than some demon that had gotten the better of her. He sat and looked at the caller ID that flashed a picture of her for a moment before snapping himself out of it and pressed the button for voicemail. Sam climbed in on the passenger side and flipped through the paper he held. He gave his brother a glance and listened to the operator then typed his four digit code for his inbox.

"Hey Dean, it's uh Buffy again. I guess you're busy on your hunt or whatever, but I wanted to talk to you about something. Can you please call me back?" Buffy's voice was cut off by Dean deleting the message and snapping the phone shut again and replacing it on the charger. He wasn't going to call her. He wasn't. Nope. Not a chance. Maybe later.

He started the Impala and backed out of the parking space and toward the highway once more. He noticed Sam shift in his seat and looked over at him. "What's up?"

"Who was that?" Sam inquired.

"No one important. Anything new on the case?" He answered dismissively as he shot a glance into the rearview mirror and flicked his blinker on before moving into another lane.

"Was that Buffy?" Dean didn't say anything. "C'mon Dean, there might be something going on, you need to call her back and fix things." Sam sighed at his big brother's stubbornness and reached for the phone himself. Dean glared at him and snatched the phone before he could touch it and tossed it into the backseat on the floorboard.

"She's a Slayer, she'll be fine. We've got a case already." Dean argued and Sam huffed an annoyed breath but let the subject drop. Nope, he wasn't backing off on this.

When they pulled up outside a hotel after they killed the shifter that night Sam was too tired to do anything but tug off his shoes, jacket and shirt before passing out on one of the beds. Dean gathered some clothing for a shower first, he was covered in blood and shifter guts. His phone started to ring again and he grabbed it without thinking.

"Yeah?" He grunted and there was a moment of silence before he heard a familiar voice.

"Dean? Are you okay? It's Buffy." Dean swore inwardly and cradled the phone between his shoulder and ear. It wouldn't be polite to hang up but all he wanted was a shower and sleep.

"Hey. Yeah, everything's fine." He answered evasively as he glanced over at the already snoring Sam. "We just got in from a case. I'm actually about to hop into a shower so.."

"Oh well, I'll make it quick then." Buffy said and Dean made a face but set his clothes back down. With Buffy there was no such thing as 'make it quick'. "Dean, you remember Faith right?"

"Yes, I remember Faith. What about her?"

"Dean.." Buffy hesitated. "She killed someone by accident." Dean waited for her to say more but he was greeted with silence.

"Killed someone? As in a not demon someone?" He clarified, confused as to exactly why she was telling him this.

"Yeah. We were out patrolling and she thought it was a vampire, and reacted before she realized that it wasn't. She accidentally staked the Dep. Mayor." Buffy's voice got quieter as he digested the information.

"I see." He stated simply. "Did you go to the police?"

"No, she wouldn't go. We just ran."

Dean rubbed the back of his neck with one hand warily and sighed. "Have you talked to her about it? Or Giles?" He asked when he remembered her Watcher.

"She won't talk about it. She went to Giles, Dean." He glanced over at his bloody silver knife and picked it and a cloth up to clean it off.

"That's good then right?" He asked as he wiped the blade with the cloth. Stupid ugly sons of bitches. He ireally/i hated shifters!

"No, she told him it was me." He had to strain to hear her and he forgot his blade-cleaning for a moment to grip the phone more firmly.

"She said it was you? What do you mean?" He demanded, hoping he'd heard wrong.

"She told Giles I killed the Dep. Mayor. He didn't believe her though, but I think she thinks he did." Dean gritted his teeth and counted to ten in his head. "Dean, I know things between us are rocky but can you guys come back?"

Dean cursed under his breath away from the receiver so she wouldn't hear. They'd finished their latest case and hadn't gotten assigned another but he wasn't sure he wanted to go down that road again with her. But if she asked him to come back, he knew he would. "What do you expect me to do, Buffy? Talk to her? She obviously doesn't think she did anything wrong if she's blaming it on you."

"I know, but I can't believe that she's too far gone to accept help. Dean you've been hunting demons for years, and I know sometimes that you have to kill people that are possessed." Dean felt himself stiffen but he didn't disagree. She was right, they had, but only if they couldn't dis-possess the person. "Maybe you can reach her. Can you please try?"

Dean weighed her request in his mind and let out a sigh. Looks like they were heading back to California. "I can try. No promises though. We're in Montana, we'll head that way in the morning." He agreed gruffly and he could almost hear her smile through the phone. He picked up his clothes and shower stuff again and headed for the bathroom, abandoning the half-clean knife on the nightstand.

"Thanks Dean, I really appreciate this." She answered and he grunted again. "I'll let you get in the shower now. See you soon?"

"Yeah, soon." Dean sighed and hung up. He stared at his phone then tossed it on the bed before going into the bathroom and closing the door. He was such a sucker when it came to her.

**Chapter 2: Plan B**

Sam glanced across the seat at Dean and watched him in silence. Dean had filled him in on the basics of why they were going to Sunnydale this time but he still didn't know what was going on between his brother and the Slayer. Dean more than cared about her, he could see it written all over his face but the damned idiot was too stubborn to swallow his pride and fix whatever argument they'd had this time. He was blasting some musician or other that Sam didn't bother trying to find out whom. Not for the first time did Sam wonder when his brother would come out of the 80s but knew it'd make no difference if he complained. Dean would only tell him to shut his cakehole and crank the volume louder, if it could go any higher than it was already that is. It was frankly amazing his ears weren't bleeding.

Dean had been more close-mouthed than usual since leaving Buffy this last time but—being Dean—he was overcompensating his silence with sarcasm. The shifter they'd just hunted was only the latest of examples, and Sam was rapidly losing his battle for patience. Dean felt him watching because he tossed him a look and turned the volume down a smidge.

"Dude, would you blink or something already? You're freaking me out." Dean grunted and Sam rolled his eyes and glanced out the window. "What's with you?"

"Are you going to tell me what happened between you and Buffy?" Sam answered, not really expecting his brother to answer. And like he figured, Dean stiffened and turned the volume back up on the stereo. He kept glancing at Dean but he ignored him, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. They were near Sunnydale, having driven most of the day and night and the closer they got the more distant Dean had become. God his brother was a pain.

Dean wanted to kick Sam's ass. He'd told him about the Faith thing and Buffy's request but the annoying twerp wouldn't let the subject of his and Buffy's departure drop. The brat had hounded him all the way to Arizona and had finally shut up when they met up with John. But the two of them had gotten into a fight, per usual, and Dean was once again the referee. Although as soon as they'd left Montana, he'd started up with his barrage of questions. Why were they going back? What did Buffy say? Why was she crying when they left? Did they have a fight? What about this time? The kid asked way too many questions. Dean was about ready to duct tape the kid's mouth shut. Hmm…Maybe he could do it while he slept..Or maybe put Nair in his shampoo again…He started to grin as he thought of ways to get his brother to shut up.

He felt a heavy weight set in as he passed the Welcome to Sunnydale sign and he shifted in his seat. Thankfully Sammy didn't notice and kept looking out the window at the passing trees. He wasn't planning on this being a long visit; in fact most of it would involve him confronting Faith by himself in case things went south. Which was why he drove straight for Buffy's, working out the plan he'd been contemplating throughout most of the drive. Sam wasn't aware of this plan yet because Dean was pretty sure he would argue about it if he did.

He pulled up to the curb of Buffy's and let the car idle. Sam looked at the house then at Dean's, reaching for the door handle.

"Aren't you coming in?" Sam asked but Dean shook his head no. "Why not?"

"You're going to stay here with Buffy and Joyce. I'm going to talk to Faith." Dean explained carefully. He threw his brother a look that said not to argue about it with him but Sammy clearly didn't realize what that look meant because he glared at Dean.

"Then I'm going with you." Sam argued, ignoring the Look.

"Uh, no you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"Are not."

"Are too!"

"Sam, I need you to stay here." Dean interrupted the argument before it could go any further. Sam gave him a long look and then his eyes narrowed as he figured out why Dean was doing this.

"You think Faith will attack you." Sam stated rather than asked and Dean hesitated.

"Something tells me she isn't going to be too open to an intervention, yeah. Which is why I need you here and safe. I'll have the phone on me, if things go south, you know how to find me." Dean answered and Sam pursed his lips.

"The GPS, yeah I know. What do I tell Buffy?" Sam asked quietly and Dean paused again before answering.

"Don't tell her if.." He trailed off, hoping Sam would understand what he was requesting. He knew there was a chance this whole thing could go horribly wrong and he didn't want Buffy to see him that way. The confident part of him said he could hold his own against the dark Slayer but he knew in truth it was a lie. If things went badly, he'd get his ass handed to him and that wasn't how he wanted her to see him.

"You're asking me not to tell her if Faith puts you in a hospital?" Sam clarified, his voice tight with anger. He wasn't sure he could lie to Buffy like that.

"What are you talking about, I can take her." Dean scoffed but it sounded forced even to his own ears. He looked out the windshield again and let out a sigh then turned back to Sam. His little brother had a worried expression on his face and he couldn't help but feel a little pang of uncertainty. "I don't want her to see me that way if this goes to Hell." He admitted finally and Sam looked back up at Buffy's house. She was standing on the porch now, her arms crossed in front of her chest, watching the car and the boys in it.

"Alright." Sam agreed and Dean felt a surge of affection for his brother. "But if you die I'll kick your ass." Sam joked flatly and Dean snorted with amusement.

"I'll be fine. Just keep an eye on Blondie, and if you don't hear from me in 3 hours…" Dean let that sentence hang, knowing Sam would finish it.

"Activate the GPS, don't tell Buffy and come bail your ass out. I know, I know." Sam answered with a roll of his eyes. "Watch your back." Sam told him firmly before exiting the car.

"Sam!" Dean called and Sam turned to lean against the door and look in the window at him. "Thanks." He knew he didn't have to say what for because Sam just nodded and headed up the walk to the porch. Dean met her eyes for a moment before starting the car and peeling away toward town and in the direction of the hotel Buffy had told him Faith was at.

Buffy watched the Impala pull away and swung her gaze to Sam as he approached, giving him a warm albeit confused smile. "Where's he off to?"

"Faith." Sam answered thinly and Buffy's eyes widened. Sam turned to look in the direction the car had gone and tried to ignore the deep worry in his gut that told him that this wasn't going to end well. He had a really bad feeling about this whole visit, and he wasn't crazy about being put on the sidelines yet again but he understood. Dean wanted him out of harm's way and wanted someone to keep an eye on Buffy at the same time and he was in a position to do both. He was getting tired of the Hunting life and he'd begun to have some ideas and dreams that involved a life away from the supernatural. If anyone could understand he knew it'd be Buffy.

Sam slipped an arm around Buffy's shoulders and they walked inside together, and Sam threw one last glance at the dark street corner where the car and Dean had disappeared around before closing the door behind him.

**Chapter 3: Intervention**

Dean eyed Faith's hotel room apprehensively and wondered if he'd been smart in his plan to leave Sam at Buffy's. The way he figured it, this could go down two ways, the first being Faith listening to reason and coming clean—highly unlikely—or the second which would result in violence. The latter was far more likely and he knew it. He turned the engine off and opened the glove compartment, and grabbed his gun just in case. His phone he slipped into his pocket after making sure it was on should this encounter go badly and Sammy needed to resort to plan B. He took a deep breath and let it out before getting out of the car and approaching her door. He'd been sitting in the parking lot outside her room for a few minutes just watching her silhouette move about in the dim light the room gave off. She undoubtedly knew he was there because he'd seen the curtains move a fraction of an inch.

He rapped on the door with his knuckle and checked his watch for the time, mentally cataloguing it for later. The door was pulled open and he found himself face to face with the rogue Slayer who just looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"D, little late for a social call isn't it?" Faith greeted coolly and glanced behind him to the empty Impala.

"Yeah well," Dean shrugged and gave her his usual smirk. "Mind if I come in?" He offered and she gave him a brief once-over before shrugging and stepping away from the door so he could enter. She didn't give him a verbal invitation, but he hadn't expected one. Rogue or not, she was a Slayer and some things were more done out of instinct than anything else.

He stepped over the threshold into the room and closed the door behind him, then swept his gaze around the room. It wasn't much better than the dumps he and Sammy usually resided in on a hunt but there were feminine touches here and there that told him Faith was just as used to a room like this as he was. He turned back to her and made his stance appear relaxed, his hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face. She probably didn't know that he already knew the score and he wanted this to go smoothly, not end up in some ER. Her stance wasn't relaxed at all, quite the opposite in fact. Her arms were crossed over her chest in the universal sign of being closed off and her eyebrows were still raised. She gave him a half smile that he saw right through and it almost made him want to laugh to see that she saw right through him too.

"Nice digs," he commented and she scoffed.

"Yeah, it's real Spartan, whatever that means." She answered with a brief glance around the room and back to her guest. "There a reason why you're here D?" She demanded, wanting to cut through the bullshit and get down to business. "Last I heard you and Sam I Am were headed off on some hunt in Arizona."

"Ah yea, that one was pie. Then we had a few others, this latest was a shifter. Nasty sons of bitches, I'll tell you that." Dean answered easily, a grin flashing over his face as he wandered around the room and leaned against her wall. "Buffy called me the other day, mentioned something about the Deputy Mayor. She wouldn't go into specifics, mind filling me in?" He asked casually. Letting her tell the story seemed like the best way to play this, and he had no doubts she'd spin the same line on him that she had on Giles.

Sure enough she shrugged and went over to sit cross-legged on the bed, "B and I went patrolling. No big deal, you know? We ran into a few vamps, dusted their asses, next thing we know a guy comes out of nowhere. She didn't even realize he wasn't a vamp until after it was too late."

Dean studied her in silence, digesting the information. She wasn't a very good liar, but he had the impression that it wasn't totally a lie. A part of her may have just been disassociating the whole incident and the bshe/b Faith had spoken of may not have meant Buffy at all but Faith herself. He could be smart when it mattered, he thought randomly. Out loud he gave her an assenting nod, "So she killed him?"

Faith nodded, "Yep, happened wicked fast too. No wonder she didn't want to get into it, it's a terrible thing but it happens." Faith watched Dean as he watched her, wondering if he was buying her story but his face was carefully expressionless and his green eyes were guarded.

"It does happen. It's happened to me and Sam a few times." Dean answered, wanting her to understand exactly why he was trying to reach her. She scoffed again but when he didn't crack a smile she gave him a closer look.

"Really? You and Sam have killed people?" She asked with a little disbelief.

"Sometimes yeah, it happens." Dean shrugged. "Sam and I have been hunting for a few years, but we don't hunt the baddies you guys do. Our normal is a bunch of people being possessed by demons, or the everyday ghost and vengeful spirit. Sometimes we can't save them all and the people that are being possessed die. It sucks, but it happens."

Faith met Dean's direct gaze as she went over the information she'd just heard. "Huh, that does suck."

Dean nodded again and ran his tongue over his teeth before taking a step closer to her, his hands still jammed in his pockets. "So why don't we drop the bullshit?"

Faith stiffened in defense and glared back at him. "What bullshit, I told you what happened." She denied but he just smirked again without amusement.

"You told me one version, why not the other?" Dean countered and she got to her feet to glare at him. He closed the distance between them with another step and arched one eyebrow in challenge. "Like you said Faith, it happens. So cut the lies and tell me the truth, I'm not Buffy, who cares what I think?"

Faith glared back at him for several moments before shifting into a fighting stance, her mouth curling into a snarl. "The truth is I'm kinda sick of the lecture, think we can skip to the fighting portion of our evening?"

Dean cocked his head to one side and felt his smile spread into a cruel grin. Yeah, he figured it'd turn out this way but hey, he'd tried right? "I didn't come here to fight, Faith."

"What'd you come here for? A roll in the hay? Sorry D, that was a one time offer and you turned it down remember?" She shot her arm out in a punch and he dodged it, catching her wrist and twisting it to one side. She surprised him with a kick to the torso which caught him off balance and threw him back into the wall.

Dean grunted as something in his chest cracked and all the breath went from her lungs. His body crashed into the wall hard enough to dent it and he heard her advance. His ribcage protested as he tried to move, but he felt her hand close around his throat as she lifted him to eyelevel. He met her dark gaze and growled before kicking out with his leg and catching her in the stomach. Her grip on him didn't loosen though and he fought for air while his lungs burned painfully.

Faith tossed him across the room and he hit the air-conditioner with a groan, he slumped to the floor below it and brought a hand up to his side. His ribs were probably cracked, if not broken but he ignored the pain as she approached again. She aimed a kick at his midsection and he shot a hand out to catch her ankle. He twisted his wrist to get her off balance but she shifted her weight to bring her other leg up to connect with the side of his face and he swore fiercely as dark spots exploded in his head. He spat out a mouthful of blood and growled again, then struggled to his feet. He went to draw his gun but she slugged him across the jaw with a right cross and his head hit the air conditioner behind him. He felt her wrench away the gun from his hand before pain erupted in his abdomen and head again, then he sank into darkness.

Dean was pissed now. He'd answered the damned phone, told Buffy he'd try to talk to Faith and he had, he'd tried to help her see that sometimes it happened. But that it didn't make her a killer. At least that's what he'd tried to say. Now he was well and thoroughly pissed off. His head hurt like a motherfucker and his ribs ached and protested with every breath he hissed in through his clenched teeth. The fact that he was once again tied to a chair was yet another reminder of exactly how bad things were at the moment. One of these days he was seriously going to screen Buffy's calls, he ranted. But that was a lie, he couldn't quite say no to her and he knew it. He was still pissed.

He glared at Faith as she sauntered back over to him, his butterfly knife in her hand. His jacket and gun were on the other side of the room, his phone next to them. Thankfully, she hadn't shut it off, just taken it away in case he should try to call someone. She flipped the blade around in her hand expertly, toying with it to piss him off even more.

"I like this knife, I might have to keep it." She taunted with a smirk and he struggled with his bonds.

"Like hell you will. I'm going to carve your ass like a turkey when I get out of these." He promised but she laughed delightedly.

"B gave it to you huh?" Faith crowed and Dean bit down on his cheek hard enough to draw blood. "I should have figured. You turned me down because you got it bad for B! You stupid fool. She's too stuck up her own ass to ever see what's right in front of you and you know it!" She swayed closer and leaned down to whisper into his ear. "She's too busy shacking up to Angel to even wonder where you are I bet."

He jerked his head away from hers and forward in a head butt, catching her by surprise. She snarled and pressed the blade of the knife to his throat with lightning-fast reflexes. The blade hadn't been sharp when Buffy had given it to him but during down time between the hunts he'd fixed that. A hunter was only as good as his weapon, he knew and there wasn't a chance that he'd let his new favorite toy kill him. Now it was sharp enough to slice through paper and skin without hesitation and he felt a few drops of blood trickle from his neck where she was pressing the knife into his throat.

She smiled slowly and brought the knife away from his throat and he glared at her hatefully. She turned and Dean saw an array of weapons spread out upon the bed ranging from lighters and knives to a crossbow and his own gun. She trailed her fingertips over the weapons before tossing him a smirk that chilled him to the bone. "Usually guys scream my name when I screw them, but hey, I'm flexible. Let's see how long it takes for your girl B to find you hm? See if I can't make you scream in the meantime. I think I can, wanna find out?"

**The night before at the Mayor's office:**

Mayor Richard Wilkins put a sheet of paper into the shredder and listened to it whir through, then followed it with another. He's not a happy Mayor. "It's not working."

"It's supposed to do something besides shred?" His associate Mr. Trick asked as he watched from his chair in front of the Mayor's desk.

"It's _supposed_ to cheer me up. Usually using the shredder gives me a lift. It's fun." The Mayor grumped sullenly.

"And today you're not getting the ya-yas." Mr. Trick summed up.

"No." Mayor Wilkins replied morosely as he shredded another sheet. "Guess it'll take more than this to turn my frown upside down. I just don't understand why Allan would leave such a paper trail about our dealings." He considered something for a moment the looked at Mr. Trick. "Do you think he was gonna betray me? Oh, now, that's a horrible thought. And now he's dead, I'll never have the chance to scold him."

"Maybe this will change your mood." Mr. Trick answered as he dropped a copy of the coroner's report on the desk. The Mayor picked it up and opened it.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Bombshell. The Deputy Mayor had wooden splinters in his wound. Struck right through the heart with a sharp, pointed object. Now, word is, someone was fighting vampires not a block away from the scene. Any smart money says it was a Slayer who did this job." Mr. Trick explained with a smile.

"Why? Do you think he talked? To them?"

"If he did, I'm thinking he said the wrong thing."

Mayor Wilkins closed the report thoughtfully, "Well, this _is_ exciting. A Slayer up for murder One. That's sunshine and roses to me. It really is." He laughed as he tapped the end of the report on his desk and set it down.

**Chapter 4: Helping the helpless**

_She was underwater, and bubbles rose through it, some larger, some smaller, as though someone below is doing their best to hold their breath, but can't continue for much longer. Buffy's frantically trying to get to the surface. Below her, Allan grabbed onto her ankle and pulled her down so she kicked her legs and flailed her arms, trying to shake him loose. Eventually she broke free of his grip and swam to the surface. When she reached the surface she drew a deep breath into her stinging lungs and spies Faith kneeling on the dock above, who reached down and shoved her back underwater._

Buffy jolted awake to realize that she had fallen asleep while watching movies with Sam in the living room. She glanced over to him and saw that he too was fast asleep, sprawled across the arm chair, his long bangs covering his face. She looked around for Dean before she remembered watching him drive away and into town and she started to feel uneasy. She crossed over to Sam and shook his shoulder to wake him. Dean had been gone for at least a couple hours and she hadn't heard the phone ring. Sam woke with a start and fell off the couch and onto the floor with a grunt. He rubbed the back of his head and looked up at Buffy who didn't smile at his clumsiness. In fact, he noticed with immediate worry, she looked downright concerned.

"What time did you get here Sam?" She asked brusquely and his gaze shifted to the clock on the wall. He felt a pang of fear and worry when he realized it had been at least 3 ½ hours since he'd last seen his brother. He glanced over at her phone but it wasn't blinking to signal its owners they had messages and raised his gaze to Buffy's in alarm. "We have to go find him." She stated, seeing the answer and fear in his eyes.

"Yea, but.." Sam hesitated.

"But what?" She demanded and he chewed on his lip a moment before answering.

"He told me not to tell you if things went badly, I'm just supposed to activate the GPS in our phone and go bail him out." Sam spoke quietly and winced at the expression of fury that flashed across her face. He held up both his hands in surrender, hoping she'd understand that he was just the messenger. "Hey don't blame me; I tried to reason with him. You know how he is when he thinks he's doing the right thing."

"Yeah, a royal pain in my ass is what." She growled and grabbed a stake. She stopped at the phone and lifted it off the receiver. Only one person she knew could help talk some sense into Faith, if she wasn't too far gone already. Perhaps Dean had gone to talk and they were still talking, the optimist part of her dared to hope but she knew that was a lie. Dean would have called to let them know everything was okay and he hadn't. She dialed Angel's number at the mansion and relayed her request and the situation with Faith. He quickly agreed and promised to meet her at Faith's hotel room and she set the phone on its cradle.

When she turned back to Sam he was sitting on the couch in front of his laptop, a crossbow resting beside him on the cushion. He was typing something and jotted down a set of numbers before snapping the computer closed and grabbing the crossbow. He stood and exhaled a breath before looking at her with an odd expression.

"What?" She asked as they headed for the door together.

"You know he's going to be pissed right?" Sam answered bluntly then elaborated at her confused look. "He hates Angel, he's going to be pretty mad that he's being saved by a girl, a vampire he hates and his little brother." He smiled wryly, imagining the fit his brother was going to have.

"Yeah well at least he'll be alive to be mad which is better than the alternative." She answered and they set off for Faith's. As they walked her mind flashed back to the night before when she'd walked down a dark street much like this with Faith:

_Faith and Buffy jimmied the door of the Deputy Mayor's office and Buffy shut the door behind them after checking to make sure they weren't seen. She switched on the light and the both looked around the office._

_"I'm telling you, we did the world a favor." Faith commented darkly, walking over to a chair. "This guy was about as interesting as watching paint dry."_

_"Faith..." Buffy answered a little uneasily._

_"I'm joking. Jeez, lighten up a little, B." Faith answered with a huff. She glanced across the desk to a picture of him with the Mayor. Buffy rifled through the papers in his inbox and Faith picked up the picture and stared at it, cradling it gently. "He came out of nowhere."_

_"I know." Buffy said sympathetically._

_"Whatever." Faith scoffed in annoyance and put down the picture. "I'm not lookin' to hug and cry and learn and grow. I'm just saying it happened quick, you know?" She pulled open his drawer and noticed everything inside was neat and in place. Buffy started to go through some papers lying on top of his filing cabinets but Faith sighed with impatience._

_"You know what? Let's just blow. Who cares what this guy was about? It's kind of moot now, don't you think?"_

_"I don't think he was in that alley by chance. I think he was looking for us. I'd like to know why." Buffy answered, still shuffling through the papers. When she opened a file drawer she saw that it was empty._

_"So, what, you think there's some big conspiracy?" Faith countered while rolling her eyes and watched as Buffy closed the drawer and opened another. All the folders in it were empty._

_"You were saying?" Buffy replied, tossing Faith a look._

_"So his papers are gone. That doesn't prove anything." Faith shrugged but Buffy wasn't convinced._

_"Except that somebody didn't want us to prove anything." She suggested and Faith started to get it. Buffy opened the door again and peeked out. The hall was clear, so she stepped out into it. Just then the Mayor's door cracked open further down the hall, and Mr. Trick exited with the Mayor right behind him. Buffy glanced back at Faith, and they both hurried back into Allan's office, closing the door quietly. They can still hear Mr. Trick and the Mayor talking out in the hall._

_Their voices began to fade as they walked away down the hall. Buffy and Faith followed after they were certain they were alone again. Then stepped off the sidewalk and into the street then turned to regard each other._

_"So the Mayor of Sunnydale is a Black Hat. That's a shocker, huh?" Faith commented sarcastically._

_"Actually, yeah. I didn't get the bad guy vibe off of him." Buffy answered, still a little shell-shocked and Faith sighed in exasperation._

_"When are you gonna learn, B? It doesn't matter what kind of vibe you get off a person. 'Cause nine times out of ten, the face they're showing you is not the real one." They crossed the street and stepped up onto the opposite sidewalk._

_"I guess you know a lot about that." Buffy said evenly and Faith stopped walking to look at her._

_"What is that supposed to mean?" Faith demanded._

_"It's just, look at you, Faith. Less than twenty-four hours ago, you killed a man. A-and now it's all zip-a-dee-doo-dah? It's not your real face, and I know it. Look, I know what you're feeling because I'm feeling it, too." Buffy threw up her hands and Faith stiffened. "Dirty. Like something sick creeped inside you and you can't get it out. And you keep hoping that it was just some nightmare, but it wasn't. And we are gonna have to figure out...Just let me talk to Giles, okay? I swear..."_

_"No!" Faith exclaimed. "We're not bringing anybody else into this. You gotta keep your head, B. This is all gonna blow over in a few days."_

_"And if it doesn't?" Buffy countered and Faith shrugged._

_"If it doesn't, they got a freighter leaving the docks at least twice a day. It ain't fancy, but it gets you gone."_

_"And that's it? You just live with it? You see the dead guy in your head every day for the rest of your life?" Buffy stared at her in disbelief, a sick feeling in her stomach at Faith's words and blasé attitude._

_"Buffy, I'm not gonna **see** anything." Faith argued, taking a step closer. "I missed the mark last night and I'm sorry about the guy. I really am! But it happens! Anyway, how many people do you think we've saved by now, thousands? And didn't you stop the world from ending? Because in my book, that puts you and me in the plus column."_

_"We help people! It doesn't mean we can do whatever we want." Buffy protested._

_"Why not? The guy I offed was no Gandhi. I mean, we just saw he was mixed up in dirty dealings."_

_"Maybe, but what if he was coming to us for help?"_

_"What if he was? You're still not seeing the big picture, B. Something made us different. We're warriors. We're built to kill."_

_"To kill demons! But it does bnot/b mean that we get to pass judgment on people like we're better than everybody else!" Buffy said through gritted teeth. She wanted to cover her ears and block out what Faith was saying but she couldn't. She wasn't right, she couldn't be._

_"We bare/b better!" Faith answered arrogantly and Buffy was stunned into silence. "That's right, better. People need us to survive. In the balance, nobody's gonna cry over some random bystander who got caught in the crossfire." Faith continued, in an exhilarated tone._

_Buffy shook her head, "I am."_

_"Well, that's your loss." Faith sniffed disdainfully and turned her back on Buffy and walked away into the night._

Buffy sighed as she remembered the conversation and the subsequent one she'd had with Giles when she'd tried to come clean after getting encouragement from Willow. She loved her best friend and her Watcher and she was lucky to have them both. She wasn't sure how she was going to deal with Faith but hoped Angel could get through to her.

**Earlier that day:**

Wesley's picked up his phone in his apartment after pacing furiously and dialed an international number. He'd overheard the whole conversation between Buffy and Giles about Faith and he was miffed that they had no intention to let him in on the recent developments. He was appalled by Giles' decision not to involve the council and had taken it upon himself to do so.

"Yes, hello. Mr. Travers, please. Quentin Travers." He listened to the person on the other end a moment, "Wesley Wyndam-Pryce calling." He listened again then rubbed his forehead in confusion. "The code word? Monkey. M-o-n-k... Just put him on, will you? This is an emergency."

"Well, maybe we should all talk to Faith together." Willow suggested. They were in the cafeteria as she, Buffy, Xander and Giles sat among the tables, the chairs inverted on them for the night.

"You mean, like that intervention thing that you guys did on me?" Buffy clarified with a bemused smile as she remembered the incident in question. "As I recall, Xander and I nearly came to blows."

"Uh, _you_ nearly came to blows, Buffy. I nearly came to loss of limbs." Xander replied but Giles disagreed.

"No, Faith is too defensive for a confrontation like that. She'll respond better to a one-on-one approach."

"Well, I can be the one... on her one." Xander put in then explained when they looked at him in confusion. "Let's rephrase. I think she might listen to me. We kind of have, um, a connection."

"Um, I don't think she takes guys she has a…connection with very seriously, Xand. No offense," Buffy added with a slight wince.

"What? Why would I be offended?" Xander scoffed derisively although that comment had stung a little.

Buffy brightened when she realized she did know someone who could possibly help and turned back to her friends. "She needs help now."Giles looked at her. "I owe her that. And I think I know who to call."

**Chapter 5: Hell in a hand basket**

Dean glared at Faith hatefully as she examined the array of weapons before her and her hand closed around a crossbow. He was bleeding from a small cut to his temple and he blinked the blood from his eye as she turned to him with a cold cruel grin. He tried again to reason with her but he could see nothing of the girl he'd had a snowball fight with only weeks ago. She was lost now, so far beyond help, wrapped in darkness.

"Faith c'mon, you don't want to do this. We can talk, I can help you." He suggested half-heartedly. He was still struggling with his restraints but they wouldn't give. He fully intended to knock her senseless once he was loose—screw reason—but he needed to get free first. He leveled his gaze on hers as she raised the crossbow and fitted a bolt.

"That's where you're wrong D. I do want to do this." She answered coolly, and he shook his head stubbornly.

"What about redemption? You can still get help, don't screw it up any more than you already have." He was reaching now and he knew it. But he'd been gone over the allotted time and he just needed to buy Sammy enough time to get to him. Faith hadn't done more than hit him a bunch of times so far but he _really_ wasn't liking the way she eyed that crossbow or any of the other weapons.

"Fuck my redemption, I don't want to be redeemed." She snapped and aimed the crossbow at him with a hard glint in her cold eyes. "I think I liked you better when you were screaming." She shot the bolt and he let out a yelp of pain as the arrow embedded itself in his shoulder. Pain seared through him and he swore violently. He tried to blink away the spots in his vision when he felt a million stabs of pain shoot through his body as she fired yet another arrow.

He tried desperately to keep from passing out as her footsteps approached, the crossbow lowered slightly. He felt a hard jerk as the arrow in his shoulder was twisted to the side and howled in agony. Usually he never gave his enemy the satisfaction of hearing him in pain but he didn't try to stop the scream that bubbled in his throat. The pain intensified as the arrow was yanked from the muscle with a sickening sound and his head lolled foreword on his chest. She was holding the arrow in her bloodied hand and he finally looked up to meet her gaze wearily.

"I just love crossbows, don't you D.?" She set the crossbow down and picked up a sharp knife from the bed. She held the knife up to eye level and examined the blade with a wicked grin. "Although, I gotta say, knives are my favorite. I mean look at this beauty, bet it just slides in like butter." She cooed softly and he spat a mouthful of blood at her feet.

"Whatever psycho bitch," he growled. "I'll be sure to use it when I kick your ass." She snarled and backhand punched him across the jaw and his head whipped to the side with the force of her blow. He felt a tooth rattle loose and spat it out before glaring at her again. "Thanks, now I can cancel that dentist's appointment." He quipped darkly.

"You don't get it do you D.?" Faith said confidently as she straddled his lap and he clenched his jaw as she grabbed it in one hand to force him to meet her gaze. Her brown eyes that had once looked so alive with mirth and flirtation were now dead, as if there were nothing of the girl that once was. He'd have thought she was possessed but he knew with a sick certainty that this was truly Faith, and that the girl he'd known was gone forever.

"No one's coming for you, B and Angel are probably curled up in each other's arms and Sammy's buried in a book. None of them care that you're here." She pressed the knife into his throat and her eyes narrowed. "If they did, don't you think they'd be here already?"

She climbed off of him and ran the blade along his shoulders and arms slowly, leaving a shallow slice in its wake. She slashed at his chest with the knife and smiled grimly at his cries of pain as the wounds drew blood. She repeated the movement a few more times, leaving deeper cuts that bleed freely. After the first though he was silent, he didn't scream or make another sound. She stepped back and threw the knife just inches away from his heart where it embedded deep in his chest. That time he did yell and the fire in his eyes made her laugh. "That's my boy," she crooned softly as she sauntered closer to him and he glared daggers at her while he fought for consciousness.

She leaned down into his ear but readied herself for an attack in case he tried to head-butt her again. "Maybe if you ask nicely I'll give you a ride before I kill you." She purred, then kissed him hard on the mouth.

He clenched his jaw tightly and jerked his head away but she moved too fast for him to strike. He fought the bile rising in his throat from her kiss and raised his gaze to meet hers. "No thanks, I like my chicks sane." He growled and her eyes narrowed.

"Turn me down once; I can deal with that, but two times? Now that's not nice." She said coldly, and she yanked the blade from his chest. She was satisfied to hear his howl of pain from the action and her eyes darted to the other arrow shaft that was still in his side. It was just about level with his elbows, but far enough from any organs. It was a bad wound, all of them were, but not fatal. She gripped the shaft and pulled it from his body with a sickening lurch and he grunted. Suddenly she heard a noise and Faith looked over just in time to be knocked unconscious by Angel with a bat.

Angel looked at the boy tied to the chair, bleeding profusely and worked to get him free. The boy was familiar but he couldn't place him. Faith was crumpled on the floor and he helped the boy to his feet and set him gently on the bed. The door burst open behind him and Buffy and another boy entered, the boy rushed to his side yelling the name Dean. Buffy stood frozen in the doorway, her gaze flitting from Faith's unconscious form to the display of weapons on the bed to Dean's chair and then to Dean himself, who lay bleeding from multiple wounds.

Angel picked up the cell next to a jacket and flipped it open to a background of Buffy and the two guys. He ignored that for a moment and dialed 911. This Dean guy was losing a lot of blood and needed medical attention right away. He barked out the location of the hotel to the receptionist and snapped the phone closed again.

Buffy finally found the strength to move and hurried to Dean's side next to Sam who was cradling his brother's broken body. Sam looked up at her with tears in his eyes and neither heard Angel slip out of the room with Faith in tow.

Shortly after the paramedics pulled up and loaded Dean into the ambulance, Sam at his side. Dean had fought to stay awake but had slipped off shortly after his rescue and Sam watched the monitor anxiously, terrified his brother would crash. Buffy strode away to Angel's, still trying to make her brain work but only able to see Dean's bloody form. God, how could Faith do that? He'd tried to help her, he'd tried to talk to her because she, _Buffy_, had asked him to. She stopped and placed her hand against a building, the contents of her stomach heaving. Once she was done she straightened and wiped her mouth, she felt clammy but she pushed it away. The image of Dean flashed before her and she felt rage propel her the rest of the way to Angel's.

The first thing Faith was aware of was the feeling of metal around her wrists, She opened her eyes and groaned. Her head hurt. She saw Angel a few feet away and glanced up to see that she was shackled against the wall. "Finally decided to tie me up, huh? I always knew you weren't really a one-Slayer guy." She taunted him, smiling seductively.

"I'm sorry about the chains. It's not that I don't trust you... Actually, it _is_ that I don't trust you." Angel answered idly, playing with the bat she realize that he'd used to knock her out.

"The thing with Dean; I know what it looked like, but we were just playing." Faith supplied, but she knew he wasn't going to buy that.

"I'm sure. And I bet you're not big on trust games, now, are you, Faith?" Angel asked, crouching before her.

"You gonna shrink me now? Is that it?" She snarled but he shook his head.

"No, I just wanna talk to you."

"That's what they all say. And then it's just, 'Lemme stay the night. Won't try anything.'" She drawled scornfully.

"You wanna go the long way around, hey, I can do that." He stood up. "I'm not getting any older." He turned his back on her and walked out into the atrium where Buffy waited there, and she stood when she saw him.

"How's she doing?" She asked, her voice hollow.

"It's like talking to a wall. Only you get more from a wall." Angel answered grimly, his expression more brooding than usual.

"Hm maybe I should try," She insisted coldly.

"I don't think that's a good idea Buffy."

"Why not?" Buffy asked, she couldn't think about Dean right now, lying in a hospital bed. She wanted to believe that Faith could be reached, that _she_ could reach her somehow.

"Look, right now, there's nothing that you can do." Angel said with a sigh. He loved Buffy but she didn't understand what it was like for Faith right now and he did.

"Angel she tortured D…my friend." She faltered and ignored the flash of emotion she saw in his eyes. "I can't just do nothing. He's lying in a hospital bed because of _her_!" Buffy paced angrily. "This could take awhile, right?" She walked to the stairs. "So, I'll just go to Faith's and I'll get some of her stuff."

"That's a good idea." Angel agreed.

"Okay." Buffy glanced at Faith. "I'll be back."

"Look, I... I don't want you to get your hopes up, Buffy. She may not want us to help her."

"She does. She just doesn't know how to say it." Buffy argued softly. The image of Dean resurfaced and she felt herself stiffen.

"She killed a man. That changes everything for her."

Buffy shook her head in denial. She didn't want to believe that the Faith she thought she knew, her sister Slayer could be so far gone. She'd killed someone and hurt Dean but surely it wasn't too late? "Giles said with counseling, they might not even need to lock her up."

"That's not what I mean. She's taken a life." He pressed and she nodded in defeat. "She's got a taste for it now."

In the Mayor's office he and Trick are reviewing a security camera tape, on it they see Buffy and Faith enter Allan's office. "Not one Slayer, but two. Right here in the building." The Mayor said in a calm voice that didn't hide his anger at the situation.

"There was supposed to be a guard." Mr. Trick offered but the Mayor interrupted him.

"Shh. Here comes my favorite part." They watched them hide in Allan's office. "Where the Slayers see us in the hall together, thick as thieves. Oh, wait, we are thieves. And worse. And now they know it." He was furious now.

"Well, they're not gonna be much of a threat in jail." Mr. Trick pointed out.

"Well, we don't have near enough evidence to put 'em away." Mayor Wilkins threw back, still fuming. He watched as he and Trick walked out of the building on the tape. "No, you're gonna have to come up with a more efficient solution. And Mr. Trick, you better think of it soon." He stated with finality.

"I know what's goin' on with you." Angel told her as he paced past.

"Join the club. Everybody seems to have a theory." Faith answered wearily and he faced her.

"But I know what it's like to take a life. To feel a future, a world of possibilities, snuffed out by your own hand. I know the power in it. The exhilaration. It was like a drug for me." He said, feeling the rush as he explained.

"Yeah? Sounds like you need some help. A professional, maybe." She drawled sarcastically.

"Hmm." Angel walked to the coffee table. "A professional couldn't have helped me." He sat on it and faced her earnestly. "It stopped when I got my soul back. My human heart."

"Goody for you. If we're gonna party, let's get on with it." She said then tried for some sympathy and held out her manacled wrists. "Otherwise, could you let me out of these things?"

"Faith, you have a choice. You've tasted something few ever do." He ignored her request and stood to resume pacing. "I mean, to kill without remorse is to feel like a god."

"Right now, all I feel is a cramp in my wrist," She started to struggle with the chains and yanked at them impatiently. "So let me go!"

"But you're not a god. You're not much more than a child. Going down this path will ruin you. You can't imagine the price for true evil." Angel couched before her again, still ignoring her pleas.

"Yeah?" Faith replied with a sneer. "I hope evil takes MasterCard."

"You and me, Faith," Angel smiled, unfazed by her attitude and the coldness in her eyes and he straightened. "We're a lot alike. Time was, I thought humans existed just to hurt each other." He sat next to her on the stone floor. "But then I came here. And I found out that there are other types of people. People who genuinely wanted to do right." He turned his head to look at her, and had the sense that she was finally listening. "And they make mistakes. And they fall down. You know, but they keep caring. Keep trying. If you can trust us, Faith, this can all change. You don't have to disappear into the darkness."

He thought he saw a flicker of something in her eyes and felt a surge of hope that he'd gotten somewhere, that just maybe she could be saved. He hoped it wasn't too late for her to try for redemption too. Suddenly there was a loud pounding on the door then it was broken in, and Wesley strode straight toward them, holding a large cross and flanked by three others. Angel rushed to head them off, but was forced to step back from Wesley, holding the cross in front of his face. One of his lackeys blindsided Angel with a right hook, and he fell to the floor.

Another quickly tossed a net over him, and the third began to beat him with a crowbar while the others tied Angel up. Wesley crossed over to Faith and removed the shackles from her wrists but while she rubbed them to get circulation back, and watched as Angel was whaled on, Wesley pulled out a set of heavy cuffs and chains, and before she knew it her wrists were bound once again.

"What?" She mused in confusion.

"By the order of the Watcher's Council of Britain..." Wesley lifted her by her elbow to stand. "I am exercising my authority and removing you to England," He guided her out, still talking. "Where you will accept the judgment of the disciplinary committee." One of the men helped hold Faith, and they all left the mansion, leaving Angel behind entangled in a mass of net and rope.

**Chapter 6: From bad to worse**

Faith was chained to a bench on one side of the truck that drove through town while Wesley and one of his men sat on the bench opposite her.

"I'm sorry for the extreme measures. Unfortunately, this is a rather extreme circumstance." Wesley placated and she snarled at him. She was not a happy Slayer.

"Whatever." She scoffed.

"Please believe nobody is rushing to judgment. The first priority of both the Council and I is to help you." Wesley tried again but she ignored him and pulled at the ring holding her to the bench. "Ah, now, none of that." He admonished then turned to his crony. "Tighten her restraints. Faith, there's no point in fighting this."

The man stood shakily and stepped closer to her and when he was within striking range, Faith kicked the man in the knee, and he fell to the floor. She pressed down on his face with her boot and looked at Wesley.

"Have to disagree with you on that one. Now unlock these or I'll pop this guy's head like a grape." She pressed down a little harder to illustrate her point when Wesley hesitated, then followed his gaze to a wrench on the floor. "Don't even think about it." She threatened and held up her cuffed wrists for him to unlock. He gave in, stood up, and pulled the keys from his pocket and stepped over to set her free.

"Faith, you can't keep running." He pleaded but Faith punched him hard in the jaw, and he fell onto the wrench. He wrapped his hand around it and tried to swing at her with it, but she caught his wrist.

"Wrong again, Wes." She said and grabbed his jacket with her other hand and head- butted him. He fell to the floor of the truck, unconscious. She went to the doors, kicked them open and jumped out onto the street, rolling a few times before coming to a stop and watched the van drive away. She glanced around to get her bearings and ran off into the night.

Buffy pushed open the door of Faith's room and her gaze swept around the room to the broken air conditioner with blood on the wall below it to the bloody weapons on the bed, the chair where Dean had been tied, her hand flying to her mouth in a choked sob. She hurried to gather Faith's things and get back to the mansion, pushing the thought of Dean out of her mind as best she could. She grabbed his jacket and the knife that she'd gifted him as well as his phone before striding back to the door. She tossed one last look at the room before shutting the door behind her and started back for Angel's. She'd go check on Dean once this was over, she only hoped he lasted that long. As she walked she dialed 411 to try and get the number to the hospital, hoping she could get in touch with Sam and when she was finally connected her heart skipped a beat at his broken voice.

"Sam? It's me, is he.." She couldn't say the words and he sighed through the phone before assuring her that he was alive. He'd lost a lot of blood and was still unconscious but he'd live. She stopped walking and closed her eyes in relief, finally letting out the breath she'd been holding when he'd answered the phone. "I'll be there soon, I promise." She told him and he gave a weary reply before disconnecting. Buffy took another minute to pull herself together before continuing her hurried walk to Angel's mansion, felling a tiny bit lighter. He was going to be okay.

When Buffy arrived with some of Faith's things she noticed that Faith was gone, and Angel struggling to get out of a rope net and she rushed over to help him out.

Buffy, Giles, Willow and Xander reconvened back in the Library with Buffy and Angel.

"It was the new Watcher. He had a couple of guys helping him." Angel told the group and Willow let out a breath.

"Then he figured it out?" She asked and Angel nodded.

"Which means that Faith will be soon on her way back to England to face the Watcher's Council." Giles announced and Buffy looked over at him.

"What will happen then?" She asked him.

"Most likely they'll lock her away for a good long while."

"So we head them off at the airport and stop them." Buffy said assertively but Willow interrupted.

"Can I... I-I'm just wondering. Why?" She and Buffy exchanged a look but she continued. "I mean she murdered someone and accused Buffy. Not to mention what she did to Dean. I hate to say it, but maybe she belongs behind bars." The room was quiet as they digested that.

"She's out of control, I know. But Angel was getting somewhere with her. She was opening up. If we could just stop Wesley." Buffy argued even though she felt a sharp pain in her heart when she remembered Faith's room and the way he'd looked when they'd gotten to him. She could still hear the broken sound of Sam's voice in her head, the fear that his big brother wouldn't be okay, that the doctors were wrong.

"That's no longer an issue." Said a voice and they all turned to see Wesley walking into the library.

"You let her get away?" Giles demanded, standing straighter.

"'Let' wouldn't be the way I'd phrase it, but... Yes, she escaped." He replied and Giles rolled his eyes and took off his glasses.

"That's good work." Angel growled and walked across the room to sit on a table. "First, you terrorize her, then you put her back in the streets."

"That was hardly my plan. I was trying to save her." Wesley protested.

"But you didn't! You probably destroyed her." Buffy accused him furiously.

"Buffy, that's enough." Giles interrupted her quietly before she could lash out some more at the Watcher. He put his glasses back on and she shook her head.

"I better find her before she does any more damage." Buffy answered and stood. "We're gonna need to split up. I'll check the docks. That's probably where she is. Giles, why don't you go to her motel? Xander, Willow, her haunts and be careful." They all stood to leave and Angel said he'd check the airport before leaving. The rest of the group followed, walking past Wesley on their way out.

"What can I do? I want to help." Wesley asked as Buffy passed by him.

"You still got your ticket back to the mother country?" She asked scathingly, not even looking at him as she followed her friends out, leaving him standing there alone.

**Chapter 7: Reasoning**

Faith waited, her gaze darting around. She wasn't sure what for exactly but she smiled grimly when she saw the head of blond hair coming closer. She felt nothing but the cold block of ice that had begun to set inside her body since she's slain Allan but she knew that Buffy and her friends had tried to help her, that B was istill/i trying to help her. Even after what she'd done to Dean, the girl wouldn't just let her go.

Buffy walked along a dock at the marina, watching for Faith and as she passed underneath the gangplank she stopped when she heard Faith behind her.

"You don't give up, do you?" Faith asked as Buffy turned to face her. She was on the ship at the top of the gangplank.

"Not on my friends, no." Buffy answered honestly.

"Yeah, because you and me are such solid buds, right?" Faith stuffed her hands into her tight jeans as she walked down the gangplank toward the other Slayer.

"We could be. It's not too late." Buffy tried but Faith shook her head in disgust.

"For me to change and be more like you, you mean? Little Miss Goody-Two-Shoes?" Faith stopped halfway and leaned on the railing. "It ain't gonna happen, B."

"Faith, nobody is asking you to be like me, but you can't go on like this."

"Scares you, doesn't it?" Faith gave her an evil smile that chilled her blood. She climbed over the railing and hopped down to the dock, landing in front of Buffy.

"Yeah, it scares me. Faith, you're hurting people. You're hurting yourself." Buffy replied and watched Faith approach, still smiling eerily.

"But that's not it. That's not what bothers you so much. What bugs you is you know I'm right. You know in your gut we don't need the law. We _are_ the law." Faith denied, eying her closely.

"No." Buffy argued and turned her back and began to walk away, Faith followed right behind.

"Yes. You know exactly what I'm about 'cause you have it in you, too." Faith pressed but Buffy shook her head again.

"No, Faith, you're sick." She kept walking, trying to block out the sound of Faith's voice and what she was saying.

"I've seen it, B. You've got the lust. And I'm not just talking about screwing vampires."

Buffy stopped in her tracks and whipped around to glare at Faith who just grinned triumphantly at her, knowing she'd struck a nerve. "Don't you _dare_ bring him into this." She forced out through gritted teeth.

"It was good, wasn't it? The sex? The danger? Bet a part of you even dug him when he went psycho. That's why you and Dean will never be anything, he's not monster enough for you." Faith taunted.

"No!" Buffy denied again and resumed walking, Faith dogging her steps.

"Too bad too, I mean Dean has en-er-gy. That one can make you scream in all the right ways. And he did scream B, he screamed when those pretty little knives went in, you shoulda heard it. See, you need me to toe the line because you're afraid you'll go over it, aren't you, B? You can't handle watching me living my own way, having a blast, because it tempts you! You know it could be you!" Faith prodded on with a wicked grin. Buffy stopped walking, having heard enough and faced her. She backhand punched her in the jaw and Faith came back up smiling wickedly.

"There's my girl." She purred but again Buffy tried to retreat.

"No. I'm not gonna do this." She started to walk away again but Faith wouldn't let her go.

"Why not? It feels good. Blood rising." Suddenly, Buffy heard a noise above and looked up and noticed a palette of crates above them, falling directly at Faith. She shoved her out of the way, but was struck instead and was pinned to the ground. She was dazed and in pain, but not out.

Faith got to her feet and went to help Buffy, when Mr. Trick and three other vampires attacked and Faith spun around at their roar. She was punched in the face by Trick, forcing her body to snap to the side giving him and another vampire a chance to grab her by her jacket and throw her to the ground.

Faith tried to get to her feet, but the second vampire roundhouse kicked her in the face. She blocked it, but managed to get up and block an uppercut from the third one by grabbing his hand. She backhanded him in the face, making him step back to keep his balance, and she turned to face the second vampire.

She high blocked a wide swing from him and threw her own punch at him, making him fall, but the third one behind her hit her in the back and she stumbled.

"Oh, God..." Buffy moaned as she came out of her daze.

The third vampire held Faith's arms behind her back and she tried to get free by snapping her heel backwards and struck his kneecap.

When that didn't work, she snapped her head back and butted him hard in the nose, but the vamp still wouldn't let go. The second vampire launched into a half spinning hook kick intended for Faith, but she ducked it and the demon holding her let go of her and went down when he took the blow in her stead.

Faith flew into a spinning, jumping out-to-in crescent kick, hit the second vampire hard in the face and sent him spinning to the ground. Then the first vampire lunged at her, and she sidestepped him, shoving him into the third that was just getting up. He wasn't knocked down, though, and came at her so she grabbed him and pulled him toward the water, then tossed him off the dock.

Buffy finally shook off her daze, pulled her legs out from under the pallet of crates that fell on her. When she managed to get to her feet, she was immediately punched by Mr. Trick and fell spinning onto the crates, then rolled them onto the concrete.

She climbed to her feet as Trick approached and attempted to backhand punch him, but he easily blocked it, so she attacked with a punch to his gut instead. Her jab was weak, though, and had no effect on him. Trick nailed her with a painful right hook to her face and Buffy stumbled backward. Taking advantage of her state, Trick advanced and swung again, this time snapping her head back with a powerful uppercut and making her fall onto another pile of crates.

Faith connected with the second vampire's jaw with a spinning hook kick and sent him onto an open barrel and he struggled not to fall in. The first one came at her again, but she drew her stake and jammed it home. When he exploded into ashes, she glanced over to see Buffy struggling with Mr. Trick. He wrapped a cord around her neck and began to choke her but Faith wasn't finished with her own fight. The second vampire threw off the barrel, only to become acquainted with her stake and he burst into ashes.

Faith watched Trick yank at the cord around Buffy's neck and pulled her off of the crates, jerking her body up and swung her around into a pallet leaning against even more crates. She connected with it hard and fell to the pavement. Faith swept her eyes around uncertainly, trying to decide what to do as Trick picked Buffy up again and slammed her against the huge crates. Buffy struggled to get loose, but the cord around her neck was too tight.

"I hear once you've tasted a Slayer, you never wanna go back." He crowed triumphantly and opened his fang-filled mouth to move in for the bite. Buffy struggled harder to keep him away, but she couldn't. Suddenly Mr. Trick halted and looked up in wide-eyed shock. "Oh, no." Trick shook his head in disbelief. "No, this is no good at all."

He stumbled back and exploded into ashes as Faith pulled her stake from his back. The two Slayers stared at each other uncertainly for a long while. Faith lowered her stake and Buffy massaged her neck, taking a few shallow breaths.

Back in the library, Buffy sat at the table while Giles poured her some coffee from his thermos.

"So she saved you." He assessed and walked slowly around the table.

"She could have left me there to die, Giles, but she didn't." Buffy answered hoarsely, and accepted the cup from him with a nod.

"She opted to come back to town with you. That... That bodes well." Giles sat beside her. "She still has a lot to face before she can put this behind her."

"I'm not gonna give up on her." Buffy said firmly. She got to her feet, intending to head to the hospital to check on Dean. She'd called Sam again when she'd returned to the high school but he hadn't answered. She hoped that meant that everything was okay, and that he was asleep or something but she wanted to make sure.

Giles poured himself a cup, still staring into the distance. "Then I think she stands a chance."

**Chapter 8: Recovery **

Buffy walked down the hallway of the hospital toward Dean's room, her steps measured and brisk. She came to a stop at his doorway and opened the door to see Sam leaning over the hospital bed, pillowing his head in his arms while he slept. Dean himself was awake and flipping through television channels with the volume down low so as not to wake his brother. He was hooked up to different machines that beeped and hummed and he looked, well, like crap.

Dean's lip was split and there was a butterfly bandage over the cut on his temple, his chest was bandaged and wrapped securely and he was hooked up to an IV that was pushing what was likely morphine into his system. His eyes lit up when he glanced at the door and he smiled at her in greeting. Her gaze swept over him, taking in his disheveled appearance and the many bandages and gauze wrapped around his torso. His ribs were wrapped to prevent movement and he looked tired, but okay.

"About time I get a hot nurse to patch me up," he teased gently with his usual smirk but she was not amused. Her cloudy expression didn't change one iota and his smirk slipped a little at the stormy emotions he saw in her eyes. Sam lifted his head from his arms and looked around, still foggy from sleep. When he saw Buffy in the doorway he gave her a tired smile but again, her expression didn't shift. Sam looked over at Dean and saw that he was awake and the two shared a brief look before Buffy regarded Sam, her voice carefully neutral.

"Sam, can you give us a minute?" She asked him quietly and he pushed his bangs out of his eyes as he got to his feet, stretching his long frame. He looked over at Dean again and raised an eyebrow in question. Dean shrugged and Sam walked to the door, lightly squeezing Buffy's shoulder in sympathy as he passed.

"Bring me some pie!" Dean called to his brother as he reached the doorway and Sam snickered but headed off in the direction of the cafeteria for some coffee and pie as requested. Buffy shut the door firmly behind her and leaned against it for a moment, getting her heart rate under control with her back facing him. Seeing him so beaten up and bandaged filled her with rage and fear and the overwhelming sense of relief that he was at least alive.

Dean watched Buffy as she got her bearings, her shoulders quaking with suppressed emotions. He'd come to a little less than an hour ago and aside from being wrapped tighter than a mummy, he felt alright. The wounds he'd sustained from the knives being thrown at him and his head wound were bandaged and healing but apparently he'd been shot too, when he didn't even know, and chalked it up to another reason to hate Faith. When he'd awoken the alarms had beeped and his head felt 4 sizes too big but the nurse who'd attended him had assured him where he was and that there was no brain damage. Sam had been beside the bed in a chair, his hand clasped in Dean's own, waiting anxiously for him to wake. After making sure his sibling was alright and wouldn't take a turn for the worst anytime soon, he'd finally given into sleep. Dean had thought he'd heard the phone ring but he wasn't sure so he paid it no mind.

Looking upon Buffy now he was relieved to see she was in one peace but the way she'd looked when she'd entered worried him. The fact that she was still silent was cause for concern. He put the TV on mute and cleared his throat, racking his brain for something to say to ease the silence.

"So did Faith turn herself in?" He settled on finally and she turned to face him. Instead of answering she shook her head no and he clenched a fist in anger.

"What the hell were you thinking?" She growled through gritted teeth and Dean was so taken aback by the anger in her voice that he didn't answer.

"Excuse me?" He asked finally, his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Have you lost your mind?" She demanded and he pretended to think about it a moment.

"Hmm nope, it's still there. Want to tell me what's got your knickers in a twist princess?" He answered coolly and she started to pace.

"What the hell were you thinking?" She repeated her earlier question, her arms crossed over her chest.

"What was I thinking? Gee, I was _trying_ to do what you asked me to, try to talk some sense into that psychotic bitch. And while we're on the subject, why the _hell_ isn't she behind bars?" He snapped back.

"Yeah, I asked you to talk to her but I didn't mean alone!" She exploded, ignoring his question. "Dean she could have killed you! She almost did!"

Dean scoffed, "Pfft! She did not, takes more than that to kill Dean Winchester." He said arrogantly and her gaze flicked around to a box of Kleenex on the counter. She picked it up and tossed it at him. "Catch."

When he reached for it, he hissed in pain as the movement jarred his injured ribs and shoulder and she glowered at him. "Yeah, you're in tip-top shape alright."

Dean waved a hand dismissively and rubbed the bandage with the other, his breath still coming out in ragged gasps. "Flesh wounds. I'll be out of here by tomorrow and back in the game, you can bet your pretty ass on that sweetheart."

"Like hell you will!" She argued, stepping closer to the bed and looking like she was debating smacking him one. "You're not moving from this bed until the doctor says you can."

He leveled a challenging gaze at her and his eyes narrowed indignantly when she wouldn't relent. He didn't like being told what to do. He was _not_ having a good couple of days. First he got the call and when he'd come to help as asked, he'd been beaten up, knocked out, stabbed - shot apparently somewhere in the midst of the whole ordeal - and then to top it all off, he'd not only been disobeyed, he'd been saved by his little brother, the Slayer and an undead vampire he despised. And now she was bitching at him for doing it alone.

"What, I was supposed to wait for backup?" He pressed, getting back to the argument at hand. "No thanks."

"Yes, you were supposed to wait for help, Dean. She _killed_ someone remember?" She snapped back.

"Interestingly enough, I got that memo. What I'm a little unclear on is why exactly she's not rotting in prison which hey, you still haven't answered." He countered. "You asked me to talk to her, I did. If it pisses you off that I did it without you, then get over it."

Buffy stared at him in shock, still fuming. Dean wasn't finished ranting though, "So why don't you get off your high horse and tell me what the hell happened while I was busy being tortured and unconscious."

She started pacing again as she related the events at the mansion and the dock, summing it up with the brawl with Trick and Faith saving her life. He was silent as he listened and the only sounds were her footsteps as she walked the length of the room.

"You're unbelievable, you know that?" He said finally, his voice dangerous. "She killed a guy in cold blood, then said she didn't give a damn. I get it, she didn't know he wasn't a vamp until too late, I'm with you there. But when you're still fighting to reach her even though she _lied_ and pinned the whole thing one you to Giles, she _tortured_ me, and then tried to skip town is where you've lost me." He ticked off each offense, his hands shaking slightly from agitation.

Buffy shook her head as she mulled over the truth of his statements then stopped pacing to face him. He met her gaze, his eyes cold and angry and his lips were tightened into a thin line.

"I know what she did, but I can't give up, I have to believe she can be reached." She tried to reason with him, her voice earnest. "It could have easily been me in her place."

He shook his head in denial before the words left her mouth. "No, you'd come clean and you know it. You'd have turned yourself in and taken the consequences. I won't believe any other way."

The two lapsed into silence for several moments, all the fight gone out of them. They watched each other before he finally moved over on the bed, allowing room for her to join him. She took the peace offering and sat, and he looped an arm around her to pull her close against him. He picked up the remote and unmuted the TV again, and the two watched some move while they waited for Sam to return, curled up next to each other.

When Sam returned he was greeted with the image of Dean and Buffy laying on the hospital bed together, watching an old Lifetime movie together quietly. Dean brushed a kiss over her forehead and she smiled at him. Sensing it was safe to enter, Sam pushed open the door and entered he room, a slice of pie in a carton in his hand. They smiled at him and Sam relaxed when neither seemed about to argue anymore. He set the carton and the plastic fork on the small table in front of Dean and Buffy helped him sit up to eat it.

Buffy watched him open the carton and take a few bites of the cherry pie before remembering something that Faith had said. She'd blown it off as just another of Faith's lies to get under her skin but she wondered if there was any truth to it.

"Dean, did you and Faith ever.." She trailed off and made a vague hand gesture. Dean's face paled and she could have sworn he turned positively green.

"And there goes my appetite, thanks Buffy, really. I appreciate it." He pushed the tray away and Sam glanced at his from beneath his bangs and snatched the carton and fork to finish it off. The two fell into easy banter as Dean lay back, throwing his arm around her again and Buffy felt herself begin to relax at last.

**Chapter 9: Familiar patterns**

Meanwhile that night at the Mayor's office, Wilkins was pulling on his overcoat, getting ready to leave for the night. He glanced around and down at his desk and adjusted the angle of the pen-holder that was askew, gave a satisfied nod, then picked up his briefcase and headed for the door. When he opened it, he found himself facing Faith who was standing there, arms crossed over her chest and scowling at him in accusation.

"You sent your boy to kill me." She said and he blinked at her, unfazed.

"That's right, I did."

"He's dust."

"I thought he might be. What with you standing here and all." He waved a hand at her to illustrate her obvious presence.

"I guess that means you have a job opening." She said boldly as she took a step into his office and he retreated to give her enough room and closed the door behind her.

Buffy visited Dean and Sam in the hospital after school the next two days and every time she did Dean gripped and whined and argued about the fact that he didn't really need to be in the hospital and that he was fine now and that they needed to be getting gone. But when Buffy and Sam agreed with the doctors and wouldn't relent, he'd sulk and pout like a petulant child having a tantrum until either Sam or Buffy brought him out of it by teasing him.

On the third day Buffy was met with an empty hospital bed and room that held no sign of its former occupant. She glanced around until she found one of the nurses and approached her with a polite smile.

"My friend that was in that room," she gestured to the vacated room behind her. "Did he go for tests or something?"

The nurse looked at the room and at a chart on the wall, then shook her head. "No, he and his brother left about an hour ago, he checked himself out against medical advice." The nurse informed her and walked away to assist another patient. Buffy looked around and adjusted her bag on her shoulder as she headed for the exit. Perhaps he'd gone to her house to say goodbye, she thought and walked toward her home.

Sure enough, the Impala was parked against the curb and she saw Sam in the front seat behind the wheel while Dean was in front of the car with the hood up, fiddling with something. She crept up quietly until she was right behind him and spoke up brightly, "Hey Dean!"

Dean jumped and swore as his head hit the hood of the car in surprise. He rubbed the injured spot and glared at her then at Sam who was snickering, having seen Buffy's approach before his brother did. "About time you got here princess." He muttered as he checked the fuel lines and something she didn't recognize.

Buffy leaned against the car and watched him work then lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "I went to the hospital but you were already gone. Figured you wouldn't take off without saying bye and took a stab that you'd be here."  
>Buffy scowled at him, her eyes narrowing as he ignored her comment. "Why are you out of the hospital anyway, against medical advice no less?" She asked sternly and he straightened to look at her, wiping his hands on a rag next to him.<p>

"Because I'm fine, in tip-top shape you could say," Dean winked at her and she rolled her eyes as he tossed her own words back at her. "Besides, we have another case and I was bored out of my mind. There's only so much poking and prodding a guy can handle, the damned vultures."

Dean shut the hood and turned to perch on it, then looped his arms around her waist. Buffy looked over his shoulder to see that Sam was buried in another book and was therefore oblivious to the two of them.

"Oh." She frowned and he brushed a kiss across her nose. "When will you be back?" She asked as she craned her head to look at him. Her eyes swept over his healing lip and the scar upon his temple, and she felt the bandages beneath his shirt but otherwise, he did look better.

He hesitated and rested his chin on top of her head as he thought over his answer, the pressed a kiss to her hair. "Not sure, still need to think about stuff."

She pulled back a little to look at him and saw the mixed emotions in his eyes, then remembered the way things had ended the last time the guys were there. "Like what kind of stuff? Faith stuff or Buffy-type stuff?" She asked and his eyes became guarded at the mention of Faith's name.

"Bit of both I suppose. And a few other things." He answered and she stepped out of his embrace to cross her arms over her chest. He sighed and gripped the hood of the car, looking down at the ground as he got his bearings. He ached to pull her close again and forget all the reasons in his head that were telling him to pick up and go.

"Ok, well what sort of Faith stuff then?" She clarified and she watched his jaw clench again at the name. "And what 'other things'?" She asked and groaned as a thought came to her head. "Is this about Angel again?"

Dean scoffed bitterly and looked up, his eyes meeting and holding hers in an intense moment. "You say it like it's nothing, as if it's no big deal that the blood sucker is around."

"It's not a big deal, except to you maybe. He helped get you to the hospital, he tried to talk to Faith, he's not evil anymore." She argued, and he let out a bark of laughter.

"Right, he's in rehab. I'll tell you this though, peaches. If that psychotic bitch even_ breathes_ wrong near me I'm putting a bullet in her pretty little head." His voice was pure cold steel as he faced off with her and she shivered at it.

"Dean she needs help, she just doesn't know how to ask for it." Buffy protested futilely but Dean shook his head.

"No? Seems pretty easy to me, all you gotta say is four letters, one syllable, bam! Simple as that." He clapped his hands together and she flinched at the sudden noise and movement. "So let me get this right, it's okay for the psycho bitch to torture me but it's no big deal if Angel does?"

He growled the words and she scowled at him but he didn't stop there, he kept going to drive his point home. "You mark my words princess, they're killers, both of them. And the sooner you realize that, just maybe the body count will stop rising."

Dean stood and barked at Sam, who jumped in surprise and scooted over across the seat to the passenger's side. Dean swung open the door and climbed in and slammed the door shut with a groan, and Buffy circled the car to look at him, her arms still crossed over her chest. He jammed the keys into the ignition but paused before speaking.

"We'll be back in a week or two." He said and she nodded and stepped up off the curb onto the lawn as he started the car with a roar and peeled away.

Sam wisely chose not to comment on the argument between them and went back to his book. Dean cranked the radio and tried to turn his thoughts to something other than Buffy, Faith or Dead Boy without success. He cursed to himself steadily as he drove through town, he always ended up falling back into familiar patterns with her- fighting and then talking- and it was getting tiring. He just wanted to have a visit with her that didn't involve vampires, psychotic demons or Slayers, fights, or hell even freaking ghosts. But it seemed that wasn't to be, that the two were too set in their ways to overcome their petty disagreements and actually talk things out without one of them storming off half-cocked.

Dean swung the car in a U-Turn and Sam yelped as his head hit the passenger's side window but Dean ignored him and drove back to Buffy's house. Damn it all to hell, he just wanted one minute to tell her he loved her without interference.

He pulled up at the curb again and got out, the door groaning again as it slammed shut behind him and he crossed the lawn in three strides. He jumped up the stairs and took a moment to collect himself before knocking on the door with a closed fist. He put his hands behind his head and looked around and back at his brother who was watching from the Impala.

When the door was pulled open by Buffy he grabbed her around the waist and hauled her close, capturing her mouth in a hard, demanding kiss. She kissed him back after the initial surprise wore off and wove her arms around his neck. When he pulled back for air he brushed a hand through her hair and kissed her again firmly.

"I'm sorry, it's just that Angel makes me a little crazy." He said in a hoarse whisper and he kissed her again, lingering long enough to gently nip her bottom lip and she moaned in response. "Forgive me?" He asked and she let out a breathless nod. He followed her inside and she leapt up to wrap her legs around his waist. He broke away to look around for Joyce but she assured him between kisses that her mother was at the gallery so he carried her up the stairs to her room, kicking the door shut behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Plan B**

Sam glanced across the seat at Dean and watched him in silence. Dean had filled him in on the basics of why they were going to Sunnydale this time but he still didn't know what was going on between his brother and the Slayer. Dean more than cared about her, he could see it written all over his face but the damned idiot was too stubborn to swallow his pride and fix whatever argument they'd had this time. He was blasting some musician or other that Sam didn't bother trying to find out whom. Not for the first time did Sam wonder when his brother would come out of the 80s but knew it'd make no difference if he complained. Dean would only tell him to shut his cakehole and crank the volume louder, if it could go any higher than it was already that is. It was frankly amazing his ears weren't bleeding.

Dean had been more close-mouthed than usual since leaving Buffy this last time but—being Dean—he was overcompensating his silence with sarcasm. The shifter they'd just hunted was only the latest of examples, and Sam was rapidly losing his battle for patience. Dean felt him watching because he tossed him a look and turned the volume down a smidge.

"Dude, would you blink or something already? You're freaking me out." Dean grunted and Sam rolled his eyes and glanced out the window. "What's with you?"

"Are you going to tell me what happened between you and Buffy?" Sam answered, not really expecting his brother to answer. And like he figured, Dean stiffened and turned the volume back up on the stereo. He kept glancing at Dean but he ignored him, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. They were near Sunnydale, having driven most of the day and night and the closer they got the more distant Dean had become. God his brother was a pain.

Dean wanted to kick Sam's ass. He'd told him about the Faith thing and Buffy's request but the annoying twerp wouldn't let the subject of his and Buffy's departure drop. The brat had hounded him all the way to Arizona and had finally shut up when they met up with John. But the two of them had gotten into a fight, per usual, and Dean was once again the referee. Although as soon as they'd left Montana, he'd started up with his barrage of questions. Why were they going back? What did Buffy say? Why was she crying when they left? Did they have a fight? What about this time? The kid asked way too many questions. Dean was about ready to duct tape the kid's mouth shut. Hmm…Maybe he could do it while he slept..Or maybe put Nair in his shampoo again…He started to grin as he thought of ways to get his brother to shut up.

He felt a heavy weight set in as he passed the Welcome to Sunnydale sign and he shifted in his seat. Thankfully Sammy didn't notice and kept looking out the window at the passing trees. He wasn't planning on this being a long visit; in fact most of it would involve him confronting Faith by himself in case things went south. Which was why he drove straight for Buffy's, working out the plan he'd been contemplating throughout most of the drive. Sam wasn't aware of this plan yet because Dean was pretty sure he would argue about it if he did.

He pulled up to the curb of Buffy's and let the car idle. Sam looked at the house then at Dean's, reaching for the door handle.

"Aren't you coming in?" Sam asked but Dean shook his head no. "Why not?"

"You're going to stay here with Buffy and Joyce. I'm going to talk to Faith." Dean explained carefully. He threw his brother a look that said not to argue about it with him but Sammy clearly didn't realize what that look meant because he glared at Dean.

"Then I'm going with you." Sam argued, ignoring the Look.

"Uh, no you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"Are not."

"Are too!"

"Sam, I need you to stay here." Dean interrupted the argument before it could go any further. Sam gave him a long look and then his eyes narrowed as he figured out why Dean was doing this.

"You think Faith will attack you." Sam stated rather than asked and Dean hesitated.

"Something tells me she isn't going to be too open to an intervention, yeah. Which is why I need you here and safe. I'll have the phone on me, if things go south, you know how to find me." Dean answered and Sam pursed his lips.

"The GPS, yeah I know. What do I tell Buffy?" Sam asked quietly and Dean paused again before answering.

"Don't tell her if.." He trailed off, hoping Sam would understand what he was requesting. He knew there was a chance this whole thing could go horribly wrong and he didn't want Buffy to see him that way. The confident part of him said he could hold his own against the dark Slayer but he knew in truth it was a lie. If things went badly, he'd get his ass handed to him and that wasn't how he wanted her to see him.

"You're asking me not to tell her if Faith puts you in a hospital?" Sam clarified, his voice tight with anger. He wasn't sure he could lie to Buffy like that.

"What are you talking about, I can take her." Dean scoffed but it sounded forced even to his own ears. He looked out the windshield again and let out a sigh then turned back to Sam. His little brother had a worried expression on his face and he couldn't help but feel a little pang of uncertainty. "I don't want her to see me that way if this goes to Hell." He admitted finally and Sam looked back up at Buffy's house. She was standing on the porch now, her arms crossed in front of her chest, watching the car and the boys in it.

"Alright." Sam agreed and Dean felt a surge of affection for his brother. "But if you die I'll kick your ass." Sam joked flatly and Dean snorted with amusement.

"I'll be fine. Just keep an eye on Blondie, and if you don't hear from me in 3 hours…" Dean let that sentence hang, knowing Sam would finish it.

"Activate the GPS, don't tell Buffy and come bail your ass out. I know, I know." Sam answered with a roll of his eyes. "Watch your back." Sam told him firmly before exiting the car.

"Sam!" Dean called and Sam turned to lean against the door and look in the window at him. "Thanks." He knew he didn't have to say what for because Sam just nodded and headed up the walk to the porch. Dean met her eyes for a moment before starting the car and peeling away toward town and in the direction of the hotel Buffy had told him Faith was at.

Buffy watched the Impala pull away and swung her gaze to Sam as he approached, giving him a warm albeit confused smile. "Where's he off to?"

"Faith." Sam answered thinly and Buffy's eyes widened. Sam turned to look in the direction the car had gone and tried to ignore the deep worry in his gut that told him that this wasn't going to end well. He had a really bad feeling about this whole visit, and he wasn't crazy about being put on the sidelines yet again but he understood. Dean wanted him out of harm's way and wanted someone to keep an eye on Buffy at the same time and he was in a position to do both. He was getting tired of the Hunting life and he'd begun to have some ideas and dreams that involved a life away from the supernatural. If anyone could understand he knew it'd be Buffy.

Sam slipped an arm around Buffy's shoulders and they walked inside together, and Sam threw one last glance at the dark street corner where the car and Dean had disappeared around before closing the door behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Intervention**

Dean eyed Faith's hotel room apprehensively and wondered if he'd been smart in his plan to leave Sam at Buffy's. The way he figured it, this could go down two ways, the first being Faith listening to reason and coming clean—highly unlikely—or the second which would result in violence. The latter was far more likely and he knew it. He turned the engine off and opened the glove compartment, and grabbed his gun just in case. His phone he slipped into his pocket after making sure it was on should this encounter go badly and Sammy needed to resort to plan B. He took a deep breath and let it out before getting out of the car and approaching her door. He'd been sitting in the parking lot outside her room for a few minutes just watching her silhouette move about in the dim light the room gave off. She undoubtedly knew he was there because he'd seen the curtains move a fraction of an inch.

He rapped on the door with his knuckle and checked his watch for the time, mentally cataloguing it for later. The door was pulled open and he found himself face to face with the rogue Slayer who just looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"D, little late for a social call isn't it?" Faith greeted coolly and glanced behind him to the empty Impala.

"Yeah well," Dean shrugged and gave her his usual smirk. "Mind if I come in?" He offered and she gave him a brief once-over before shrugging and stepping away from the door so he could enter. She didn't give him a verbal invitation, but he hadn't expected one. Rogue or not, she was a Slayer and some things were more done out of instinct than anything else.

He stepped over the threshold into the room and closed the door behind him, then swept his gaze around the room. It wasn't much better than the dumps he and Sammy usually resided in on a hunt but there were feminine touches here and there that told him Faith was just as used to a room like this as he was. He turned back to her and made his stance appear relaxed, his hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face. She probably didn't know that he already knew the score and he wanted this to go smoothly, not end up in some ER. Her stance wasn't relaxed at all, quite the opposite in fact. Her arms were crossed over her chest in the universal sign of being closed off and her eyebrows were still raised. She gave him a half smile that he saw right through and it almost made him want to laugh to see that she saw right through him too.

"Nice digs," he commented and she scoffed.

"Yeah, it's real Spartan, whatever that means." She answered with a brief glance around the room and back to her guest. "There a reason why you're here D?" She demanded, wanting to cut through the bullshit and get down to business. "Last I heard you and Sam I Am were headed off on some hunt in Arizona."

"Ah yea, that one was pie. Then we had a few others, this latest was a shifter. Nasty sons of bitches, I'll tell you that." Dean answered easily, a grin flashing over his face as he wandered around the room and leaned against her wall. "Buffy called me the other day, mentioned something about the Deputy Mayor. She wouldn't go into specifics, mind filling me in?" He asked casually. Letting her tell the story seemed like the best way to play this, and he had no doubts she'd spin the same line on him that she had on Giles.

Sure enough she shrugged and went over to sit cross-legged on the bed, "B and I went patrolling. No big deal, you know? We ran into a few vamps, dusted their asses, next thing we know a guy comes out of nowhere. She didn't even realize he wasn't a vamp until after it was too late."

Dean studied her in silence, digesting the information. She wasn't a very good liar, but he had the impression that it wasn't totally a lie. A part of her may have just been disassociating the whole incident and the bshe/b Faith had spoken of may not have meant Buffy at all but Faith herself. He could be smart when it mattered, he thought randomly. Out loud he gave her an assenting nod, "So she killed him?"

Faith nodded, "Yep, happened wicked fast too. No wonder she didn't want to get into it, it's a terrible thing but it happens." Faith watched Dean as he watched her, wondering if he was buying her story but his face was carefully expressionless and his green eyes were guarded.

"It does happen. It's happened to me and Sam a few times." Dean answered, wanting her to understand exactly why he was trying to reach her. She scoffed again but when he didn't crack a smile she gave him a closer look.

"Really? You and Sam have killed people?" She asked with a little disbelief.

"Sometimes yeah, it happens." Dean shrugged. "Sam and I have been hunting for a few years, but we don't hunt the baddies you guys do. Our normal is a bunch of people being possessed by demons, or the everyday ghost and vengeful spirit. Sometimes we can't save them all and the people that are being possessed die. It sucks, but it happens."

Faith met Dean's direct gaze as she went over the information she'd just heard. "Huh, that does suck."

Dean nodded again and ran his tongue over his teeth before taking a step closer to her, his hands still jammed in his pockets. "So why don't we drop the bullshit?"

Faith stiffened in defense and glared back at him. "What bullshit, I told you what happened." She denied but he just smirked again without amusement.

"You told me one version, why not the other?" Dean countered and she got to her feet to glare at him. He closed the distance between them with another step and arched one eyebrow in challenge. "Like you said Faith, it happens. So cut the lies and tell me the truth, I'm not Buffy, who cares what I think?"

Faith glared back at him for several moments before shifting into a fighting stance, her mouth curling into a snarl. "The truth is I'm kinda sick of the lecture, think we can skip to the fighting portion of our evening?"

Dean cocked his head to one side and felt his smile spread into a cruel grin. Yeah, he figured it'd turn out this way but hey, he'd tried right? "I didn't come here to fight, Faith."

"What'd you come here for? A roll in the hay? Sorry D, that was a one time offer and you turned it down remember?" She shot her arm out in a punch and he dodged it, catching her wrist and twisting it to one side. She surprised him with a kick to the torso which caught him off balance and threw him back into the wall.

Dean grunted as something in his chest cracked and all the breath went from her lungs. His body crashed into the wall hard enough to dent it and he heard her advance. His ribcage protested as he tried to move, but he felt her hand close around his throat as she lifted him to eyelevel. He met her dark gaze and growled before kicking out with his leg and catching her in the stomach. Her grip on him didn't loosen though and he fought for air while his lungs burned painfully.

Faith tossed him across the room and he hit the air-conditioner with a groan, he slumped to the floor below it and brought a hand up to his side. His ribs were probably cracked, if not broken but he ignored the pain as she approached again. She aimed a kick at his midsection and he shot a hand out to catch her ankle. He twisted his wrist to get her off balance but she shifted her weight to bring her other leg up to connect with the side of his face and he swore fiercely as dark spots exploded in his head. He spat out a mouthful of blood and growled again, then struggled to his feet. He went to draw his gun but she slugged him across the jaw with a right cross and his head hit the air conditioner behind him. He felt her wrench away the gun from his hand before pain erupted in his abdomen and head again, then he sank into darkness.

Dean was pissed now. He'd answered the damned phone, told Buffy he'd try to talk to Faith and he had, he'd tried to help her see that sometimes it happened. But that it didn't make her a killer. At least that's what he'd tried to say. Now he was well and thoroughly pissed off. His head hurt like a motherfucker and his ribs ached and protested with every breath he hissed in through his clenched teeth. The fact that he was once again tied to a chair was yet another reminder of exactly how bad things were at the moment. One of these days he was seriously going to screen Buffy's calls, he ranted. But that was a lie, he couldn't quite say no to her and he knew it. He was still pissed.

He glared at Faith as she sauntered back over to him, his butterfly knife in her hand. His jacket and gun were on the other side of the room, his phone next to them. Thankfully, she hadn't shut it off, just taken it away in case he should try to call someone. She flipped the blade around in her hand expertly, toying with it to piss him off even more.

"I like this knife, I might have to keep it." She taunted with a smirk and he struggled with his bonds.

"Like hell you will. I'm going to carve your ass like a turkey when I get out of these." He promised but she laughed delightedly.

"B gave it to you huh?" Faith crowed and Dean bit down on his cheek hard enough to draw blood. "I should have figured. You turned me down because you got it bad for B! You stupid fool. She's too stuck up her own ass to ever see what's right in front of you and you know it!" She swayed closer and leaned down to whisper into his ear. "She's too busy shacking up to Angel to even wonder where you are I bet."

He jerked his head away from hers and forward in a head butt, catching her by surprise. She snarled and pressed the blade of the knife to his throat with lightning-fast reflexes. The blade hadn't been sharp when Buffy had given it to him but during down time between the hunts he'd fixed that. A hunter was only as good as his weapon, he knew and there wasn't a chance that he'd let his new favorite toy kill him. Now it was sharp enough to slice through paper and skin without hesitation and he felt a few drops of blood trickle from his neck where she was pressing the knife into his throat.

She smiled slowly and brought the knife away from his throat and he glared at her hatefully. She turned and Dean saw an array of weapons spread out upon the bed ranging from lighters and knives to a crossbow and his own gun. She trailed her fingertips over the weapons before tossing him a smirk that chilled him to the bone. "Usually guys scream my name when I screw them, but hey, I'm flexible. Let's see how long it takes for your girl B to find you hm? See if I can't make you scream in the meantime. I think I can, wanna find out?"

**The night before at the Mayor's office:**

Mayor Richard Wilkins put a sheet of paper into the shredder and listened to it whir through, then followed it with another. He's not a happy Mayor. "It's not working."

"It's supposed to do something besides shred?" His associate Mr. Trick asked as he watched from his chair in front of the Mayor's desk.

"It's _supposed_ to cheer me up. Usually using the shredder gives me a lift. It's fun." The Mayor grumped sullenly.

"And today you're not getting the ya-yas." Mr. Trick summed up.

"No." Mayor Wilkins replied morosely as he shredded another sheet. "Guess it'll take more than this to turn my frown upside down. I just don't understand why Allan would leave such a paper trail about our dealings." He considered something for a moment the looked at Mr. Trick. "Do you think he was gonna betray me? Oh, now, that's a horrible thought. And now he's dead, I'll never have the chance to scold him."

"Maybe this will change your mood." Mr. Trick answered as he dropped a copy of the coroner's report on the desk. The Mayor picked it up and opened it.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Bombshell. The Deputy Mayor had wooden splinters in his wound. Struck right through the heart with a sharp, pointed object. Now, word is, someone was fighting vampires not a block away from the scene. Any smart money says it was a Slayer who did this job." Mr. Trick explained with a smile.

"Why? Do you think he talked? To them?"

"If he did, I'm thinking he said the wrong thing."

Mayor Wilkins closed the report thoughtfully, "Well, this _is_ exciting. A Slayer up for murder One. That's sunshine and roses to me. It really is." He laughed as he tapped the end of the report on his desk and set it down.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Helping the helpless**

_She was underwater, and bubbles rose through it, some larger, some smaller, as though someone below is doing their best to hold their breath, but can't continue for much longer. Buffy's frantically trying to get to the surface. Below her, Allan grabbed onto her ankle and pulled her down so she kicked her legs and flailed her arms, trying to shake him loose. Eventually she broke free of his grip and swam to the surface. When she reached the surface she drew a deep breath into her stinging lungs and spies Faith kneeling on the dock above, who reached down and shoved her back underwater._

Buffy jolted awake to realize that she had fallen asleep while watching movies with Sam in the living room. She glanced over to him and saw that he too was fast asleep, sprawled across the arm chair, his long bangs covering his face. She looked around for Dean before she remembered watching him drive away and into town and she started to feel uneasy. She crossed over to Sam and shook his shoulder to wake him. Dean had been gone for at least a couple hours and she hadn't heard the phone ring. Sam woke with a start and fell off the couch and onto the floor with a grunt. He rubbed the back of his head and looked up at Buffy who didn't smile at his clumsiness. In fact, he noticed with immediate worry, she looked downright concerned.

"What time did you get here Sam?" She asked brusquely and his gaze shifted to the clock on the wall. He felt a pang of fear and worry when he realized it had been at least 3 ½ hours since he'd last seen his brother. He glanced over at her phone but it wasn't blinking to signal its owners they had messages and raised his gaze to Buffy's in alarm. "We have to go find him." She stated, seeing the answer and fear in his eyes.

"Yea, but..." Sam hesitated.

"But what?" She demanded and he chewed on his lip a moment before answering.

"He told me not to tell you if things went badly, I'm just supposed to activate the GPS in our phone and go bail him out." Sam spoke quietly and winced at the expression of fury that flashed across her face. He held up both his hands in surrender, hoping she'd understand that he was just the messenger. "Hey don't blame me; I tried to reason with him. You know how he is when he thinks he's doing the right thing."

"Yeah, a royal pain in my ass is what." She growled and grabbed a stake. She stopped at the phone and lifted it off the receiver. Only one person she knew could help talk some sense into Faith, if she wasn't too far gone already. Perhaps Dean had gone to talk and they were still talking, the optimist part of her dared to hope but she knew that was a lie. Dean would have called to let them know everything was okay and he hadn't. She dialed Angel's number at the mansion and relayed her request and the situation with Faith. He quickly agreed and promised to meet her at Faith's hotel room and she set the phone on its cradle.

When she turned back to Sam he was sitting on the couch in front of his laptop, a crossbow resting beside him on the cushion. He was typing something and jotted down a set of numbers before snapping the computer closed and grabbing the crossbow. He stood and exhaled a breath before looking at her with an odd expression.

"What?" She asked as they headed for the door together.

"You know he's going to be pissed right?" Sam answered bluntly then elaborated at her confused look. "He hates Angel; he's going to be pretty mad that he's being saved by a girl, a vampire he hates and his little brother." He smiled wryly, imagining the fit his brother was going to have.

"Yeah well at least he'll be alive to be mad which is better than the alternative." She answered and they set off for Faith's. As they walked her mind flashed back to the night before when she'd walked down a dark street much like this with Faith:

_Faith and Buffy jimmied the door of the Deputy Mayor's office and Buffy shut the door behind them after checking to make sure they weren't seen. She switched on the light and the both looked around the office._

_"I'm telling you, we did the world a favor." Faith commented darkly, walking over to a chair. "This guy was about as interesting as watching paint dry."_

_"Faith..." Buffy answered a little uneasily._

_"I'm joking. Jeez, lighten up a little, B." Faith answered with a huff. She glanced across the desk to a picture of him with the Mayor. Buffy rifled through the papers in his inbox and Faith picked up the picture and stared at it, cradling it gently. "He came out of nowhere."_

_"I know." Buffy said sympathetically._

_"Whatever." Faith scoffed in annoyance and put down the picture. "I'm not lookin' to hug and cry and learn and grow. I'm just saying it happened quickly, you know?" She pulled open his drawer and noticed everything inside was neat and in place. Buffy started to go through some papers lying on top of his filing cabinets but Faith sighed with impatience._

_"You know what? Let's just blow. Who cares what this guy was about? It's kind of moot now, don't you think?"_

_"I don't think he was in that alley by chance. I think he was looking for us. I'd like to know why." Buffy answered, still shuffling through the papers. When she opened a file drawer she saw that it was empty._

_"So, what, you think there's some big conspiracy?" Faith countered while rolling her eyes and watched as Buffy closed the drawer and opened another. All the folders in it were empty._

_"You were saying?" Buffy replied, tossing Faith a look._

_"So his papers are gone. That doesn't prove anything." Faith shrugged but Buffy wasn't convinced._

_"Except that somebody didn't want us to prove anything." She suggested and Faith started to get it. Buffy opened the door again and peeked out. The hall was clear, so she stepped out into it. Just then the Mayor's door cracked open further down the hall, and Mr. Trick exited with the Mayor right behind him. Buffy glanced back at Faith, and they both hurried back into Allan's office, closing the door quietly. They can still hear Mr. Trick and the Mayor talking out in the hall._

_Their voices began to fade as they walked away down the hall. Buffy and Faith followed after they were certain they were alone again. Then stepped off the sidewalk and into the street then turned to regard each other._

_"So the Mayor of Sunnydale is a Black Hat. That's a shocker, huh?" Faith commented sarcastically._

_"Actually, yeah. I didn't get the bad guy vibe off of him." Buffy answered, still a little shell-shocked and Faith sighed in exasperation._

_"When are you gonna learn, B? It doesn't matter what kind of vibe you get off a person. 'Cause nine times out of ten, the face they're showing you is not the real one." They crossed the street and stepped up onto the opposite sidewalk._

_"I guess you know a lot about that." Buffy said evenly and Faith stopped walking to look at her._

_"What is that supposed to mean?" Faith demanded._

_"It's just, look at you, Faith. Less than twenty-four hours ago, you killed a man. A-and now it's all zip-a-dee-doo-dah? It's not your real face, and I know it. Look, I know what you're feeling because I'm feeling it, too." Buffy threw up her hands and Faith stiffened. "Dirty. Like something sick creeped inside you and you can't get it out. And you keep hoping that it was just some nightmare, but it wasn't. And we are gonna have to figure out...Just let me talk to Giles, okay? I swear..."_

_"No!" Faith exclaimed. "We're not bringing anybody else into this. You gotta keep your head, B. This is all gonna blow over in a few days."_

_"And if it doesn't?" Buffy countered and Faith shrugged._

_"If it doesn't, they got a freighter leaving the docks at least twice a day. It ain't fancy, but it gets you gone."_

_"And that's it? You just live with it? You see the dead guy in your head every day for the rest of your life?" Buffy stared at her in disbelief, a sick feeling in her stomach at Faith's words and blasé attitude._

_"Buffy, I'm not gonna __**see**__ anything." Faith argued, taking a step closer. "I missed the mark last night and I'm sorry about the guy. I really am! But it happens! Anyway, how many people do you think we've saved by now, thousands? And didn't you stop the world from ending? Because in my book, that puts you and me in the plus column."_

_"We help people! It doesn't mean we can do whatever we want." Buffy protested._

_"Why not? The guy I offed was no Gandhi. I mean, we just saw he was mixed up in dirty dealings."_

_"Maybe, but what if he was coming to us for help?"_

_"What if he was? You're still not seeing the big picture, B. Something made us different. We're warriors. We're built to kill."_

_"To kill demons! But it does not/b mean that we get to pass judgment on people like we're better than everybody else!" Buffy said through gritted teeth. She wanted to cover her ears and block out what Faith was saying but she couldn't. She wasn't right, she couldn't be._

_"We bare/b better!" Faith answered arrogantly and Buffy was stunned into silence. "That's right, better. People need us to survive. In the balance, nobody's gonna cry over some random bystander who got caught in the crossfire." Faith continued, in an exhilarated tone._

_Buffy shook her head, "I am."_

_"Well, that's your loss." Faith sniffed disdainfully and turned her back on Buffy and walked away into the night._

Buffy sighed as she remembered the conversation and the subsequent one she'd had with Giles when she'd tried to come clean after getting encouragement from Willow. She loved her best friend and her Watcher and she was lucky to have them both. She wasn't sure how she was going to deal with Faith but hoped Angel could get through to her.

**Earlier that day:**

Wesley's picked up his phone in his apartment after pacing furiously and dialed an international number. He'd overheard the whole conversation between Buffy and Giles about Faith and he was miffed that they had no intention to let him in on the recent developments. He was appalled by Giles' decision not to involve the council and had taken it upon himself to do so.

"Yes, hello. Mr. Travers, please. Quentin Travers." He listened to the person on the other end a moment, "Wesley Wyndam-Pryce calling." He listened again then rubbed his forehead in confusion. "The code word? Monkey. M-o-n-k... Just put him on, will you? This is an emergency."

"Well, maybe we should all talk to Faith together." Willow suggested. They were in the cafeteria as she, Buffy, Xander and Giles sat among the tables, the chairs inverted on them for the night.

"You mean, like that intervention thing that you guys did on me?" Buffy clarified with a bemused smile as she remembered the incident in question. "As I recall, Xander and I nearly came to blows."

"Uh, _you_ nearly came to blows, Buffy. I nearly came to loss of limbs." Xander replied but Giles disagreed.

"No, Faith is too defensive for a confrontation like that. She'll respond better to a one-on-one approach."

"Well, I can be the one... on her one." Xander put in then explained when they looked at him in confusion. "Let's rephrase. I think she might listen to me. We kind of have, um, a connection."

"Um, I don't think she takes guys she has a…connection with very seriously, Xand. No offense," Buffy added with a slight wince.

"What? Why would I be offended?" Xander scoffed derisively although that comment had stung a little.

Buffy brightened when she realized she did know someone who could possibly help and turned back to her friends. "She needs help now."Giles looked at her. "I owe her that. And I think I know who to call."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Hell in a hand basket**

Dean glared at Faith hatefully as she examined the array of weapons before her and her hand closed around a crossbow. He was bleeding from a small cut to his temple and he blinked the blood from his eye as she turned to him with a cold cruel grin. He tried again to reason with her but he could see nothing of the girl he'd had a snowball fight with only weeks ago. She was lost now, so far beyond help, wrapped in darkness.

"Faith c'mon, you don't want to do this. We can talk, I can help you." He suggested half-heartedly. He was still struggling with his restraints but they wouldn't give. He fully intended to knock her senseless once he was loose—screw reason—but he needed to get free first. He leveled his gaze on hers as she raised the crossbow and fitted a bolt.

"That's where you're wrong D. I do want to do this." She answered coolly, and he shook his head stubbornly.

"What about redemption? You can still get help; don't screw it up any more than you already have." He was reaching now and he knew it. But he'd been gone over the allotted time and he just needed to buy Sammy enough time to get to him. Faith hadn't done more than hit him a bunch of times so far but he _really_ didn't like the way she eyed that crossbow or any of the other weapons.

"Fuck my redemption; I don't want to be redeemed." She snapped and aimed the crossbow at him with a hard glint in her cold eyes. "I think I liked you better when you were screaming." She shot the bolt and he let out a yelp of pain as the arrow embedded itself in his shoulder. Pain seared through him and he swore violently. He tried to blink away the spots in his vision when he felt a million stabs of pain shoot through his body as she fired yet another arrow.

He tried desperately to keep from passing out as her footsteps approached, the crossbow lowered slightly. He felt a hard jerk as the arrow in his shoulder was twisted to the side and howled in agony. Usually he never gave his enemy the satisfaction of hearing him in pain but he didn't try to stop the scream that bubbled in his throat. The pain intensified as the arrow was yanked from the muscle with a sickening sound and his head lolled foreword on his chest. She was holding the arrow in her bloodied hand and he finally looked up to meet her gaze wearily.

"I just love crossbows, don't you D.?" She set the crossbow down and picked up a sharp knife from the bed. She held the knife up to eye level and examined the blade with a wicked grin. "Although, I gotta say, knives are my favorite. I mean look at this beauty, bet it just slides in like butter." She cooed softly and he spat a mouthful of blood at her feet.

"Whatever psycho bitch," he growled. "I'll be sure to use it when I kick your ass." She snarled and backhand punched him across the jaw and his head whipped to the side with the force of her blow. He felt a tooth rattle loose and spat it out before glaring at her again. "Thanks, now I can cancel that dentist's appointment." He quipped darkly.

"You don't get it do you D.?" Faith said confidently as she straddled his lap and he clenched his jaw as she grabbed it in one hand to force him to meet her gaze. Her brown eyes that had once looked so alive with mirth and flirtation were now dead, as if there were nothing of the girl that once was. He'd have thought she was possessed but he knew with a sick certainty that this was truly Faith, and that the girl he'd known was gone forever.

"No one's coming for you, B is probably curled up in Angel's arms and Sammy's buried in a book. None of them care that you're here." She pressed the knife into his throat and her eyes narrowed. "If they did, don't you think they'd be here already?"

She climbed off of him and ran the blade along his shoulders and arms slowly, leaving a shallow slice in its wake. She slashed at his chest with the knife and smiled grimly at his cries of pain as the wounds drew blood. She repeated the movement a few more times, leaving deeper cuts that bleed freely. After the first though he was silent, he didn't scream or make another sound. She stepped back and threw the knife just inches away from his heart where it embedded deep in his chest. That time he did yell and the fire in his eyes made her laugh. "That's my boy," she crooned softly as she sauntered closer to him and he glared daggers at her while he fought for consciousness.

She leaned down into his ear but readied herself for an attack in case he tried to head-butt her again. "Maybe if you ask nicely I'll give you a ride before I kill you." She purred then kissed him hard on the mouth.

He clenched his jaw tightly and jerked his head away but she moved too fast for him to strike. He fought the bile rising in his throat from her kiss and raised his gaze to meet hers. "No thanks, I like my chicks sane." He growled and her eyes narrowed.

"Turn me down once; I can deal with that, but two times? Now that's not nice." She said coldly, and she yanked the blade from his chest. She was satisfied to hear his howl of pain from the action and her eyes darted to the other arrow shaft that was still in his side. It was just about level with his elbows, but far enough from any organs. It was a bad wound, all of them were, but not fatal. She gripped the shaft and pulled it from his body with a sickening lurch and he grunted. Suddenly she heard a noise and Faith looked over just in time to be knocked unconscious by Angel with a bat.

Angel looked at the boy tied to the chair, bleeding profusely and worked to get him free. The boy was familiar but he couldn't place him. Faith was crumpled on the floor and he helped the boy to his feet and set him gently on the bed. The door burst open behind him and Buffy and another boy entered, the boy rushed to his side yelling the name Dean. Buffy stood frozen in the doorway, her gaze flitting from Faith's unconscious form to the display of weapons on the bed to Dean's chair and then to Dean himself, who lay bleeding from multiple wounds.

Angel picked up the cell next to a jacket and flipped it open to a background of Buffy and the two guys. He ignored that for a moment and dialed 911. This Dean guy was losing a lot of blood and needed medical attention right away. He barked out the location of the hotel to the receptionist and snapped the phone closed again.

Buffy finally found the strength to move and hurried to Dean's side next to Sam who was cradling his brother's broken body. Sam looked up at her with tears in his eyes and neither heard Angel slip out of the room with Faith in tow.

Shortly after the paramedics pulled up and loaded Dean into the ambulance, Sam at his side. Dean had fought to stay awake but had slipped off shortly after his rescue and Sam watched the monitor anxiously, terrified his brother would crash. Buffy strode away to Angel's, still trying to make her brain work but only able to see Dean's bloody form. God, how could Faith do that? He'd tried to help her, he'd tried to talk to her because she, _Buffy_, had asked him to. She stopped and placed her hand against a building, the contents of her stomach heaving. Once she was done she straightened and wiped her mouth, she felt clammy but she pushed it away. The image of Dean flashed before her and she felt rage propel the rest of the way to Angel's.

The first thing Faith was aware of was the feeling of metal around her wrists; she opened her eyes and groaned. Her head hurt. She saw Angel a few feet away and glanced up to see that she was shackled against the wall. "Finally decided to tie me up, huh? I always knew you weren't really a one-Slayer guy." She taunted him, smiling seductively.

"I'm sorry about the chains. It's not that I don't trust you... Actually, it _is_ that I don't trust you." Angel answered idly, playing with the bat she realized that he'd used to knock her out.

"The thing with Dean; I know what it looked like, but we were just playing." Faith supplied, but she knew he wasn't going to buy that.

"I'm sure. And I bet you're not big on trust games, now, are you, Faith?" Angel asked, crouching before her.

"You gonna shrink me now? Is that it?" She snarled but he shook his head.

"No, I just wanna talk to you."

"That's what they all say. And then it's just, 'Lemme stay the night. Won't try anything.'" She drawled scornfully.

"You wanna go the long way around, hey, I can do that." He stood up. "I'm not getting any older." He turned his back on her and walked out into the atrium where Buffy waited there, and she stood when she saw him.

"How's she doing?" Her voice was hollow as she asked the question.

"It's like talking to a wall. Only you get more from a wall." Angel answered grimly, his expression more brooding than usual.

"Hm maybe I should try," She insisted coldly.

"I don't think that's a good idea Buffy."

"Why not?" Buffy asked, she couldn't think about Dean right now, lying in a hospital bed. She wanted to believe that Faith could be reached, that _she_ could reach her somehow.

"Look, right now, there's nothing that you can do." Angel said with a sigh. He loved Buffy but she didn't understand what it was like for Faith right now and he did.

"Angel she tortured D…my friend." She faltered and ignored the flash of emotion she saw in his eyes. "I can't just do nothing. He's lying in a hospital bed because of _her_!" Buffy paced angrily. "This could take awhile, right?" She walked to the stairs. "So, I'll just go to Faith's and I'll get some of her stuff."

"That's a good idea." Angel agreed.

"Okay." Buffy glanced at Faith. "I'll be back."

"Look, I... I don't want you to get your hopes up, Buffy. She may not want us to help her."

"She does. She just doesn't know how to say it." Buffy argued softly. The image of Dean resurfaced and she felt herself stiffen.

"She killed a man. That changes everything for her."

Buffy shook her head in denial. She didn't want to believe that the Faith she thought she knew, her sister Slayer could be so far gone. She'd killed someone and hurt Dean but surely it wasn't too late? "Giles said with counseling, they might not even need to lock her up."

"That's not what I mean. She's taken a life." He pressed and she nodded in defeat. "She's got a taste for it now."

In the Mayor's office he and Trick are reviewing a security camera tape; on it they see Buffy and Faith enter Allan's office. "Not one Slayer, but two. Right here in the building." The Mayor said in a calm voice that didn't hide his anger at the situation.

"There was supposed to be a guard." Mr. Trick offered but the Mayor interrupted him.

"Shhh. Here comes my favorite part." They watched them hide in Allan's office. "Where the Slayers saw us in the hall together, thick as thieves. Oh, wait, we are thieves. And worse. And now they know it." He was furious now.

"Well, they're not gonna be much of a threat in jail." Mr. Trick pointed out.

"Well, we don't have near enough evidence to put 'em away." Mayor Wilkins threw back, still fuming. He watched as he and Trick walked out of the building on the tape. "No, you're gonna have to come up with a more efficient solution. And Mr. Trick, you better think of it soon." He stated with finality.

"I know what's goin' on with you." Angel told her as he paced past.

"Join the club. Everybody seems to have a theory." Faith answered wearily and he faced her.

"But I know what it's like to take a life. To feel a future, a world of possibilities, snuffed out by your own hand. I know the power in it. The exhilaration. It was like a drug for me." He said, feeling the rush as he explained.

"Yeah? Sounds like you need some help. A professional, maybe." She drawled sarcastically.

"Hmm." Angel walked to the coffee table. "A professional couldn't have helped me." He sat on it and faced her earnestly. "It stopped when I got my soul back. My human heart."

"Goody for you. If we're gonna party, let's get on with it." She said then tried for some sympathy and held out her manacled wrists. "Otherwise, could you let me out of these things?"

"Faith, you have a choice. You've tasted something few ever do." He ignored her request and stood to resume pacing. "I mean to kill without remorse is to feel like a god."

"Right now, all I feel is a cramp in my wrist," She started to struggle with the chains and yanked at them impatiently. "So let me go!"

"But you're not a god. You're not much more than a child. Going down this path will ruin you. You can't imagine the price for true evil." Angel couched before her again, still ignoring her pleas.

"Yeah?" Faith replied with a sneer. "I hope evil takes MasterCard."

"You and me, Faith," Angel smiled, unfazed by her attitude and the coldness in her eyes and he straightened. "We're a lot alike. Time was, I thought humans existed just to hurt each other." He sat next to her on the stone floor. "But then I came here. And I found out that there are other types of people. People who genuinely wanted to do right." He turned his head to look at her, and had the sense that she was finally listening. "And they make mistakes. And they fall down. You know, but they keep caring. Keep trying. If you can trust us, Faith, this can all change. You don't have to disappear into the darkness."

He thought he saw a flicker of something in her eyes and felt a surge of hope that he'd gotten somewhere, that just maybe she could be saved. He hoped it wasn't too late for her to try for redemption too. Suddenly there was a loud pounding on the door then it was broken in, and Wesley strode straight toward them, holding a large cross and flanked by three others. Angel rushed to head them off, but was forced to step back from Wesley, holding the cross in front of his face. One of his lackeys blindsided Angel with a right hook, and he fell to the floor.

Another quickly tossed a net over him, and the third began to beat him with a crowbar while the others tied Angel up. Wesley crossed over to Faith and removed the shackles from her wrists but while she rubbed them to get circulation back, and watched as Angel was whaled on, Wesley pulled out a set of heavy cuffs and chains, and before she knew it her wrists were bound once again.

"What?" She mused in confusion.

"By the order of the Watcher's Council of Britain..." Wesley lifted her by her elbow to stand. "I am exercising my authority and removing you to England," He guided her out, still talking. "Where you will accept the judgment of the disciplinary committee." One of the men helped hold Faith, and they all left the mansion, leaving Angel behind entangled in a mass of net and rope.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: From bad to worse**

Faith was chained to a bench on one side of the truck that drove through town while Wesley and one of his men sat on the bench opposite her.

"I'm sorry for the extreme measures. Unfortunately, this is a rather extreme circumstance." Wesley placated and she snarled at him. She was not a happy Slayer.

"Whatever." She scoffed.

"Please believe nobody is rushing to judgment. The first priority of both the Council and I are to help you." Wesley tried again but she ignored him and pulled at the ring holding her to the bench. "Ah, now, none of that." He admonished then turned to his crony. "Tighten her restraints. Faith, there's no point in fighting this."

The man stood shakily and stepped closer to her and when he was within striking range, Faith kicked the man in the knee, and he fell to the floor. She pressed down on his face with her boot and looked at Wesley.

"Have to disagree with you on that one. Now unlock these or I'll pop this guy's head like a grape." She pressed down a little harder to illustrate her point when Wesley hesitated, then followed his gaze to a wrench on the floor. "Don't even think about it." She threatened and held up her cuffed wrists for him to unlock. He gave in, stood up, and pulled the keys from his pocket and stepped over to set her free.

"Faith, you can't keep running." He pleaded but Faith punched him hard in the jaw, and he fell onto the wrench. He wrapped his hand around it and tried to swing at her with it, but she caught his wrist.

"Wrong again, Wes." She said and grabbed his jacket with her other hand and head- butted him. He fell to the floor of the truck, unconscious. She went to the doors, kicked them open and jumped out onto the street, rolling a few times before coming to a stop and watched the van drive away. She glanced around to get her bearings and ran off into the night.

Buffy pushed open the door of Faith's room and her gaze swept around the room to the broken air conditioner with blood on the wall below it to the bloody weapons on the bed, the chair where Dean had been tied, and her hand flying to her mouth in a choked sob. She hurried to gather Faith's things and get back to the mansion, pushing the thought of Dean out of her mind as best she could. She grabbed his jacket and the knife that she'd gifted him as well as his phone before striding back to the door. She tossed one last look at the room before shutting the door behind her and started back for Angel's. She'd go check on Dean once this was over, she only hoped he lasted that long. As she walked she dialed 411 to try and get the number to the hospital, hoping she could get in touch with Sam and when she was finally connected her heart skipped a beat at his broken voice.

"Sam? It's me, is he...?" She couldn't say the words and he sighed through the phone before assuring her that he was alive. He'd lost a lot of blood and was still unconscious but he'd live. She stopped walking and closed her eyes in relief, finally letting out the breath she'd been holding when he'd answered the phone. "I'll be there soon, I promise." She told him and he gave a weary reply before disconnecting. Buffy took another minute to pull her together before continuing her hurried walk to Angel's mansion, felling a tiny bit lighter. He was going to be okay.

When Buffy arrived with some of Faith's things she noticed that Faith was gone, and Angel struggling to get out of a rope net and she rushed over to help him out.

Buffy, Giles, Willow and Xander reconvened back in the Library with Buffy and Angel.

"It was the new Watcher. He had a couple of guys helping him." Angel told the group and Willow let out a breath.

"Then he figured it out?" She asked and Angel nodded.

"This means that Faith will be soon on her way back to England to face the Watcher's Council." Giles announced and Buffy looked over at him.

"What will happen then?" She asked him.

"Most likely they'll lock her away for a good long while."

"So we head them off at the airport and stop them." Buffy said assertively but Willow interrupted.

"Can I... I-I'm just wondering. Why?" She and Buffy exchanged a look but she continued. "I mean she murdered someone and accused Buffy. Not to mention what she did to Dean. I hate to say it, but maybe she belongs behind bars." The room was quiet as they digested that.

"She's out of control, I know. But Angel was getting somewhere with her. She was opening up. If we could just stop Wesley." Buffy argued even though she felt a sharp pain in her heart when she remembered Faith's room and the way he'd looked when they'd gotten to him. She could still hear the broken sound of Sam's voice in her head, the fear that his big brother wouldn't be okay, that the doctors were wrong.

"That's no longer an issue." Said a voice and they all turned to see Wesley walking into the library.

"You let her get away?" Giles demanded, standing straighter.

"'Let' wouldn't be the way I'd phrase it, but... Yes, she escaped." He replied and Giles rolled his eyes and took off his glasses.

"That's good work." Angel growled and walked across the room to sit on a table. "First, you terrorize her, and then you put her back in the streets."

"That was hardly my plan. I was trying to save her." Wesley protested.

"But you didn't! You probably destroyed her." Buffy accused him furiously.

"Buffy, that's enough." Giles interrupted her quietly before she could lash out some more at the Watcher. He put his glasses back on and she shook her head.

"I better find her before she does any more damage." Buffy answered and stood. "We're gonna need to split up. I'll check the docks. That's probably where she is. Giles, why don't you go to her motel? Xander, Willow, her haunts and be careful." They all stood to leave and Angel said he'd check the airport before leaving. The rest of the group followed, walking past Wesley on their way out.

"What can I do? I want to help." Wesley asked as Buffy passed by him.

"You still got your ticket back to the mother country?" She asked scathingly, not even looking at him as she followed her friends out, leaving him standing there alone.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Reasoning**

Faith waited, her gaze darting around. She wasn't sure what for exactly but she smiled grimly when she saw the head of blond hair coming closer. She felt nothing but the cold block of ice that had begun to set inside her body since she's slain Allan but she knew that Buffy and her friends had tried to help her that B was still trying to help her. Even after what she'd done to Dean, the girl wouldn't just let her go.

Buffy walked along a dock at the marina, watching for Faith and as she passed underneath the gangplank she stopped when she heard Faith behind her.

"You don't give up, do you?" Faith asked as Buffy turned to face her. She was on the ship at the top of the gangplank.

"Not on my friends, no." Buffy answered honestly.

"Yeah, because you and I are such solid buds, right?" Faith stuffed her hands into her tight jeans as she walked down the gangplank toward the other Slayer.

"We could be. It's not too late." Buffy tried but Faith shook her head in disgust.

"For me to change and be more like you, you mean? Little Miss Goody-Two-Shoes?" Faith stopped halfway and leaned on the railing. "It ain't gonna happen, B."

"Faith, nobody is asking you to be like me, but you can't go on like this."

"Scares you, doesn't it?" Faith gave her an evil smile that chilled her blood. She climbed over the railing and hopped down to the dock, landing in front of Buffy.

"Yeah, it scares me. Faith, you're hurting people. You're hurting yourself." Buffy replied and watched Faith approach, still smiling eerily.

"But that's not it. That's not what bothers you so much. What bugs you is you know I'm right. You know in your gut we don't need the law. We _are_ the law." Faith denied, eying her closely.

"No." Buffy argued and turned her back and began to walk away, Faith followed right behind.

"Yes. You know exactly what I'm about 'cause you have it in you, too." Faith pressed but Buffy shook her head again.

"No, Faith, you're sick." She kept walking, trying to block out the sound of Faith's voice and what she was saying.

"I've seen it, B. You've got the lust. And I'm not just talking about screwing vampires."

Buffy stopped in her tracks and whipped around to glare at Faith who just grinned triumphantly at her, knowing she'd struck a nerve. "Don't you _dare_ bring him into this." She forced out through gritted teeth.

"It was good, wasn't it? The sex? The danger? Bet a part of you even dug him when he went psycho. That's why you and Dean will never be anything, he's not monster enough for you." Faith taunted.

"No!" Buffy denied again and resumed walking, Faith dogging her steps.

"Too bad too, I mean Dean has en-er-gy. That one can make you scream in all the right ways. And he did scream B, he screamed when those pretty little knives went in, you shoulda heard it. See, you need me to toe the line because you're afraid you'll go over it, aren't you, B? You can't handle watching me living my own way, having a blast, because it tempts you! You know it could be you!" Faith prodded on with a wicked grin. Buffy stopped walking, having heard enough and faced her. She backhand punched her in the jaw and Faith came back up smiling wickedly.

"There's my girl." She purred but again Buffy tried to retreat.

"No. I'm not gonna do this." She started to walk away again but Faith wouldn't let her go.

"Why not? It feels good. Blood rising." Suddenly, Buffy heard a noise above and looked up and noticed a palette of crates above them, falling directly at Faith. She shoved her out of the way, but was struck instead and was pinned to the ground. She was dazed and in pain, but not out.

Faith got to her feet and went to help Buffy, when Mr. Trick and three other vampires attacked and Faith spun around at their roar. She was punched in the face by Trick, forcing her body to snap to the side giving him and another vampire a chance to grab her by her jacket and throw her to the ground.

Faith tried to get to her feet, but the second vampire roundhouse kicked her in the face. She blocked it, but managed to get up and block an uppercut from the third one by grabbing his hand. She backhanded him in the face, making him step back to keep his balance, and she turned to face the second vampire.

She high blocked a wide swing from him and threw her own punch at him, making him fall, but the third one behind her hit her in the back and she stumbled.

"Oh, God..." Buffy moaned as she came out of her daze.

The third vampire held Faith's arms behind her back and she tried to get free by snapping her heel backwards and struck his kneecap.

When that didn't work, she snapped her head back and butted him hard in the nose, but the vamp still wouldn't let go. The second vampire launched into a half spinning hook kick intended for Faith, but she ducked it and the demon holding her let go of her and went down when he took the blow in her stead.

Faith flew into a spinning, jumping out-to-in crescent kick, hit the second vampire hard in the face and sent him spinning to the ground. Then the first vampire lunged at her, and she sidestepped him, shoving him into the third that was just getting up. He wasn't knocked down, though, and came at her so she grabbed him and pulled him toward the water, then tossed him off the dock.

Buffy finally shook off her daze, pulled her legs out from under the pallet of crates that fell on her. When she managed to get to her feet, she was immediately punched by Mr. Trick and fell spinning onto the crates, then rolled them onto the concrete.

She climbed to her feet as Trick approached and attempted to backhand punch him, but he easily blocked it, so she attacked with a punch to his gut instead. Her jab was weak, though, and had no effect on him. Trick nailed her with a painful right hook to her face and Buffy stumbled backward. Taking advantage of her state, Trick advanced and swung again, this time snapping her head back with a powerful uppercut and making her fall onto another pile of crates.

Faith connected with the second vampire's jaw with a spinning hook kick and sent him onto an open barrel and he struggled not to fall in. The first one came at her again, but she drew her stake and jammed it home. When he exploded into ashes, she glanced over to see Buffy struggling with Mr. Trick. He wrapped a cord around her neck and began to choke her but Faith wasn't finished with her own fight. The second vampire threw off the barrel, only to become acquainted with her stake and he burst into ashes.

Faith watched Trick yank at the cord around Buffy's neck and pulled her off of the crates, jerking her body up and swung her around into a pallet leaning against even more crates. She connected with it hard and fell to the pavement. Faith swept her eyes around uncertainly, trying to decide what to do as Trick picked Buffy up again and slammed her against the huge crates. Buffy struggled to get loose, but the cord around her neck was too tight.

"I hear once you've tasted a Slayer, you never wanna go back." He crowed triumphantly and opened his fang-filled mouth to move in for the bite. Buffy struggled harder to keep him away, but she couldn't. Suddenly Mr. Trick halted and looked up in wide-eyed shock. "Oh, no." Trick shook his head in disbelief. "No, this is no good at all."

He stumbled back and exploded into ashes as Faith pulled her stake from his back. The two Slayers stared at each other uncertainly for a long while. Faith lowered her stake and Buffy massaged her neck, taking a few shallow breaths.

Back in the library, Buffy sat at the table while Giles poured her some coffee from his thermos.

"So she saved you." He assessed and walked slowly around the table.

"She could have left me there to die, Giles, but she didn't." Buffy answered hoarsely, and accepted the cup from him with a nod.

"She opted to come back to town with you. That... That bodes well." Giles sat beside her. "She still has a lot to face before she can put this behind her."

"I'm not gonna give up on her." Buffy said firmly. She got to her feet, intending to head to the hospital to check on Dean. She'd called Sam again when she'd returned to the high school but he hadn't answered. She hoped that meant that everything was okay, and that he was asleep or something but she wanted to make sure.

Giles poured himself a cup, still staring into the distance. "Then I think she stands a chance."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Full recovery**

**A/N: See earlier chapters for full disclaimer, characters belong to Whedon and Kripke**

Buffy walked down the hallway of the hospital toward Dean's room, her steps measured and brisk. She came to a stop at his doorway and opened the door to see Sam leaning over the hospital bed, pillowing his head in his arms while he slept. Dean himself was awake and flipping through television channels with the volume down low so as not to wake his brother. He was hooked up to different machines that beeped and hummed and he looked, well, like crap.

Dean's lip was split and there was a butterfly bandage over the cut on his temple, his chest was bandaged and wrapped securely and he was hooked up to an IV that was pushing what was likely morphine into his system. His eyes lit up when he glanced at the door and he smiled at her in greeting. Her gaze swept over him, taking in his disheveled appearance and the many bandages and gauze wrapped around his torso. His ribs were wrapped to prevent movement and he looked tired, but okay.

"About time I get a hot nurse to patch me up," he teased gently with his usual smirk but she was not amused. Her cloudy expression didn't change one iota and his smirk slipped a little at the stormy emotions he saw in her eyes. Sam lifted his head from his arms and looked around, still foggy from sleep. When he saw Buffy in the doorway he gave her a tired smile but again, her expression didn't shift. Sam looked over at Dean and saw that he was awake and the two shared a brief look before Buffy regarded Sam, her voice carefully neutral.

"Sam, can you give us a minute?" She asked him quietly and he pushed his bangs out of his eyes as he got to his feet, stretching his long frame. He looked over at Dean again and raised an eyebrow in question. Dean shrugged and Sam walked to the door, lightly squeezing Buffy's shoulder in sympathy as he passed.

"Bring me some pie!" Dean called to his brother as he reached the doorway and Sam snickered but headed off in the direction of the cafeteria for some coffee and pie as requested. Buffy shut the door firmly behind her and leaned against it for a moment, getting her heart rate under control with her back facing him. Seeing him so beaten up and bandaged filled her with rage and fear and the overwhelming sense of relief that he was at least alive.

Dean watched Buffy as she got her bearings, her shoulders quaking with suppressed emotions. He'd come to a little less than an hour ago and aside from being wrapped tighter than a mummy, he felt alright. The wounds he'd sustained from the knives being thrown at him and his head wound were bandaged and healing but apparently he'd been shot too, when he didn't even know, and chalked it up to another reason to hate Faith.

When he'd awoken the alarms had beeped and his head felt 4 sizes too big but the nurse who'd attended him had assured him where he was and that there was no brain damage. Sam had been beside the bed in a chair, his hand clasped in Dean's own, waiting anxiously for him to wake. After making sure his sibling was alright and wouldn't take a turn for the worst anytime soon, he'd finally given into sleep. Dean had thought he'd heard the phone ring but he wasn't sure so he paid it no mind.

Looking upon Buffy now he was relieved to see she was in one piece but the way she'd looked when she'd entered worried him. The fact that she was still silent was cause for concern. He put the TV on mute and cleared his throat, racking his brain for something to say to ease the silence.

"So did Faith turn herself in?" He settled on finally and she turned to face him. Instead of answering she shook her head no and he clenched a fist in anger.

"What the hell were you thinking?" She growled through gritted teeth before he could say anything else and Dean was so taken aback by the anger in her voice that he didn't answer for a few minutes.

"Excuse me?" He asked finally, his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Have you lost your mind?" She demanded and he pretended to think about it a moment.

"Hmm nope, it's still there. Want to tell me what's got your knickers in a twist princess?" He answered coolly and she started to pace.

"What the hell were you thinking?" She repeated her earlier question, her arms crossed over her chest.

"What was I thinking? Gee, I was _trying_ to do what you asked me to, try to talk some sense into that psychotic bitch. And while we're on the subject, why the _hell_ isn't she behind bars?" He snapped back.

"Yeah, I asked you to talk to her but I didn't mean alone!" She exploded, ignoring his question. "Dean she could have killed you! She almost did!"

Dean scoffed, "Pfft! She did not, takes more than that to kill Dean Winchester." He said arrogantly and her gaze flicked around to a box of Kleenex on the counter.

She picked it up and tossed it at him. "Catch."

When he reached for it, he hissed in pain as the movement jarred his injured ribs and shoulder and she glowered at him. "Yeah, you're in tip-top shape alright."  
>Dean waved a hand dismissively and rubbed the bandage with the other, his breath still coming out in ragged gasps. "Flesh wounds. I'll be out of here by tomorrow and back in the game, you can bet your pretty ass on that sweetheart."<p>

"Like hell you will!" She argued, stepping closer to the bed and looking like she was debating smacking him one. "You're not moving from this bed until the doctor says you can."

He leveled a challenging gaze at her and his eyes narrowed indignantly when she wouldn't relent. He didn't like being told what to do. He was _not_ having a good couple of days. First he got the call and when he'd come to help as asked, he'd been beaten up, knocked out, stabbed - and shot apparently somewhere in the midst of the whole ordeal - and then to top it all off, he'd not only been disobeyed, he'd been saved by his little brother, the Slayer and an undead vampire he despised. And now she was bitching at him for doing it alone.

"What, I was supposed to wait for backup?" He pressed, getting back to the argument at hand. "No thanks."

"Yes, you were supposed to wait for help, Dean. She _killed_ someone remember?" She snapped back.

"Interestingly enough, I got that memo. What I'm a little unclear on is why exactly she's not rotting in prison which hey, you still haven't answered." He countered.

"You asked me to talk to her, I did. If it pisses you off that I did it without you, get over it."

Buffy stared at him in shock, still fuming. Dean wasn't finished ranting though, "So why don't you get off your high horse and tell me what the hell happened while I was busy being tortured and unconscious."

She started pacing again as she related the events at the mansion and the dock, summing it up with the brawl with Trick and Faith saving her life. He was silent as he listened and the only sounds were her footsteps as she walked the length of the room.

"You're unbelievable, you know that?" He said finally, his voice dangerous. "She killed a guy in cold blood, and then said she didn't give a damn. I get it, she didn't know he wasn't a vamp until too late, I'm with you there. But when you're still fighting to reach her even though she _lied_ and pinned the whole thing one you to Giles, she _tortured_ me, and then tried to skip town is where you've lost me." He ticked off each offense, his hands shaking slightly from agitation.

Buffy shook her head as she mulled over the truth of his statements then stopped pacing to face him. He met her gaze, his eyes cold and angry and his lips were tightened into a thin line.

"I know what she did, but I can't give up, I have to believe she can be reached." She tried to reason with him, her voice earnest. "It could have easily been me in her place."

He shook his head in denial before the words left her mouth. "No, you'd come clean and you know it. You'd have turned yourself in and taken the consequences. I won't believe any other way."

The two lapsed into silence for several moments, all the fight gone out of them. They watched each other before he finally moved over on the bed, allowing room for her to join him. She took the peace offering and sat, and he looped an arm around her to pull her close against him. He picked up the remote and unmuted the TV again, and the two watched some move while they waited for Sam to return, curled up next to each other.

When Sam returned, he was greeted with the image of Dean and Buffy laying on the hospital bed together, watching an old Lifetime movie together quietly. Dean brushed a kiss over her forehead and she smiled at him. Sensing it was safe to enter; Sam pushed open the door and entered the room, a slice of pie in a carton in his hand. They smiled at him and Sam relaxed when neither seemed about to argue anymore. He set the carton and the plastic fork on the small table in front of Dean and Buffy helped him sit up to eat it.

Buffy watched him open the carton and take a few bites of the cherry pie before remembering something that Faith had said. She'd blown it off as just another of Faith's lies to get under her skin but she wondered if there was any truth to it.

"Dean, did you and Faith ever..." She trailed off and made a vague hand gesture. Dean's face paled and she could have sworn he turned positively green.

"And there goes my appetite, thanks Buffy, really, I appreciate it." He pushed the tray away and Sam glanced at his from beneath his bangs and snatched the carton and fork to finish it off. The two fell into easy banter as Dean lay back, throwing his arm around her again and Buffy felt herself begin to relax at last.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: An unspoken agreement**

Buffy visited Dean and Sam in the hospital after school the next two days and every time she did Dean griped and whined and argued about the fact that he didn't really need to be in the hospital and that he was fine now and that they needed to be getting gone. But when Buffy and Sam agreed with the doctors and wouldn't relent, he sulked and pouted like a petulant child having a tantrum until either Sam or Buffy brought him out of it by teasing him.  
>Once he was finally released from his stupid room, Dean realized that he had a stop to make. He seriously did <em>not<em> want to. He sent Sam to the hotel with the promise to meet up with him later before saying their goodbyes to Buffy tomorrow at school.

Dean knocked on the mansion door, wishing he could get back in his car and forget the temporary madness he'd slipped into. The door was pulled open and he found himself face to face with his second least favorite person.

Angel stepped aside to allow him entrance and Dean glanced around, his eyes adjusting to the shadows. His head still wasn't 100% but he ignored it to look at the man who's foyer he was standing in.

"I won't be long. I'm not even sure why I'm here except that I apparently owe you a thanks for saving my ass." Dean addressed the vampire with a frown at the fact Sam had departed.

"Forget about it. Faith needed help."

"Yeah well my brilliant idea didn't work that well," Dean replied wryly, rubbing his ribs in remembrance. The two men looked at each other for a few moments before he spoke again, "I still don't like you."

Angel scoffed, "The feeling's mutual Winchester."

Dean followed as the vampire went toward his fireplace, still wondering what he was doing there. Buffy wasn't able to visit that day because her mom had complained about her daughter always being gone. He had no worries of running into her until the following day, and Sam was back at the hotel gathering their things.

"Did you have better luck reaching her though?" Dean asked, and the vampire hesitated.

"I thought I might have, but the damned Council interrupted and now she's gone for good. Buffy thinks she can still be swayed back to the light side." Angel went into his kitchen for a mug of blood, aware that Winchester followed.

"You don't agree?"

Angel shook his head. "She willingly tortured you, what do you think?"

Dean thought it over, remembering Faith's expression and what he saw in her eyes as she caused him pain. "I don't know. I think she's buried her hole pretty damn deep. Can she come back out? That's up to her."

Amazingly, vampire and Hunter were in agreement about that one subject. Angel studied the young man in his kitchen leaning against the door frame. He had to respect the kid for swallowing his pride and thanking him, not many would have done that. The reason he didn't like him was what was in the hunter's eyes when he looked at Buffy. More than once he had smelled the hunter all over her, and it made the demon in him rage with jealousy.

"You love her."

Dean sputtered, "What? Faith? Are you kidding me?"

Angel's teeth flashed in a grin, "Buffy."

The hunter sobered and met the vampire's gaze straight on. They measured each other up once again, niether breaking contact. The vampire had to admit, the boy was serious about the Slayer. She wasn't aware of his affections though at least not the depth of them, he had noticed as much. Truthfully it pleased him in a grudging sense that someone would take care of her when he wasn't around. He still loved Buffy but he couldn't stay. She deserved better. But would Winchester be the one to give her what she needed? He believed so.

"She won't be oblivious forever. Just make sure you don't mess up what you have boy, you'll never find anything else like it." Angel advised the hunter, but it burned him to do it. He had to let her go sometime, it wasn't natural for a Slayer and Vampire to fall in love.

"I don't intend to," Dean replied calmly. He recognized the warning and advice for what it was and it surprised him. He'd expected his visit to be a short one filled with possible threats and fighting, not conversation about the two Slayers. He meant what he said, he never intended to let Buffy go, no matter what happened. Sure she brought drama and more violence in his life than there was originally, but she also brought something that words couldn't describe. She brought sunshine, laughter, and a feeling he'd never imagined, a feeling he refused to give up. Perhaps that was why he always found himself in this godforsaken town, hanging on her words. He wouldn't have it any other way however, she was his.

"Well, it's been interesting Vampire." Dean nodded at Angel and recieved one in return. "This changes nothing though."

Angel laughed, "Agreed."

Dean smirked and left the same way he came, his mind occupied with thoughts of his odd talk with the bloodsucker. He had been wrong, for all their male posturing, the two had reached an unspoken truce for the time being. Both acknowledged their part in the blonde Slayer's life and that when it came down to it, she was the one that would have to choose.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Familiar Patterns **

Meanwhile that night at the Mayor's office, Wilkins was pulling on his overcoat, getting ready to leave for the night. He glanced around and down at his desk and adjusted the angle of the penholder that was askew, gave a satisfied nod, then picked up his briefcase and headed for the door. When he opened it, he found himself facing Faith who was standing there, arms crossed over her chest and scowling at him in accusation.

"You sent your boy to kill me." She said and he blinked at her, unfazed.

"That's right, I did."

"He's dust."

"I thought he might be. What with you standing here and all." He waved a hand at her to illustrate her obvious presence.

"I guess that means you have a job opening." She said boldly as she took a step into his office and he retreated to give her enough room and closed the door behind her.

Later that evening, Buffy returned to the hospital and was met with an empty hospital bed and a room that held no sign of its former occupant. She glanced around until she found one of the nurses and approached her with a polite smile.

"My friend that was in that room," she gestured to the vacated room behind her. "Did he go for tests or something?"

The nurse looked at the room and at a chart on the wall, then shook her head. "No, he and his brother left this morning, he checked himself out against medical advice." The nurse informed her and walked away to assist another patient. Buffy looked around and adjusted her bag on her shoulder as she headed for the exit. Perhaps he'd gone to her house to say goodbye, she thought and walked toward her home.

Sure enough, the Impala was parked against the curb and she saw Sam in the front seat behind the wheel while Dean was in front of the car with the hood up, fiddling with something. She crept up quietly until she was right behind him and spoke up brightly, "Hey Dean!"

Dean jumped and swore as his head hit the hood of the car in surprise. He rubbed the injured spot and glared at her and Sam who was snickering, having seen Buffy's approach before his brother did. "About time you got here princess." He muttered as he checked something she didn't recognize.

Buffy leaned against the car and watched him work then lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "I went to the hospital but you were already gone. Figured you wouldn't take off without saying bye and took a stab that you'd be here."

Buffy scowled at him, her eyes narrowing as he ignored her comment. "Why are you out of the hospital anyway, against medical advice no less?" She asked sternly and he straightened to look at her, wiping his hands on a rag next to him.

"Because I'm fine, in tip-top shape you could say," Dean winked at her and she rolled her eyes as he tossed her own words back at her. "Besides, we have another case and I was bored out of my mind. There's only so much poking and prodding a guy can handle, the damned vultures."

Dean shut the hood and turned to perch on it, then looped his arms around her waist. Buffy looked over his shoulder to see that Sam was buried in another book and was therefore oblivious to the two of them.

"Oh." She frowned and he brushed a kiss across her nose. "When will you be back?" She asked as she craned her head to look at him. Her eyes swept over his healing lip and the scar upon his temple, and she felt the bandages beneath his shirt but otherwise, he did look better.

He hesitated and rested his chin on top of her head as he thought over his answer, before pressing a kiss into her hair. "Not sure, still need to think about stuff."

She pulled back a little to look at him and saw the mixed emotions in his eyes, then remembered the way things had ended the last time the guys were there. "Like what kind of stuff? Faith stuff or Buffy-type stuff?" She asked and his eyes became guarded at the mention of Faith's name.

"Bit of both I suppose. And a few other things." He answered and she stepped out of his embrace to cross her arms over her chest. He sighed and gripped the hood of the car, looking down at the ground as he got his bearings. He ached to pull her close again and forget all the reasons in his head that were telling him to pick up and go.

"Ok, well what sort of Faith stuff then?" She clarified and she watched his jaw clench again at the name. "And what 'other things'?" She asked and groaned as a thought came to her head. "Is this about Angel again?"

Dean scoffed bitterly and looked up, his eyes meeting and holding hers in an intense moment. "You say it like it's nothing, as if it's no big deal that the blood sucker is around."

"It's not a big deal, except to you maybe. He helped get you to the hospital, he tried to talk to Faith, he's not evil anymore." She argued, and he let out a bark of laughter.

"Right, he's in rehab. I'll tell you this though, peaches. If that psychotic bitch even breathes wrong near me I'm putting a bullet in her pretty little head." His voice was pure cold steel as he faced off with her and she shivered at it.

"Dean she needs help, she just doesn't know how to ask for it." Buffy protested futilely but Dean shook his head.

"No? Seems pretty easy to me, all you gotta say is four letters, one syllable, bam simple as that." He clapped his hands together and she flinched at the sudden noise and movement. "So let me get this right, it's okay for the psycho bitch to torture me but it's no big deal if Angel does?"

He growled the words and she scowled at him but he didn't stop there, he kept going to drive his point home. "You mark my words princess, they're killers, both of them. And the sooner you realize that, just maybe the body count will stop rising."

Dean stood and barked at Sam, who jumped in surprise and scooted over across the seat to the passenger's side. Dean swung open the door and climbed in and slammed the door shut with a groan. Buffy circled the car to look at him, her arms still crossed over her chest. He jammed the keys into the ignition but paused before speaking.

"We'll be back in a week or two." He said and she nodded and stepped up off the curb onto the lawn as he started the car with a roar and peeled away.

Sam wisely chose not to comment on the argument between them and went back to his book. Dean cranked the radio and tried to turn his thoughts to something other than Buffy, Faith or Dead Boy without success. He cursed to himself steadily as he drove through town, he always ended up falling back into familiar patterns with her- fighting and then talking- and it was getting tiring. He just wanted to have a visit with her that didn't involve vampires, psychotic demons or Slayers, fights, or hell even freaking ghosts. But it seemed that wasn't to be, that the two were too set in their ways to overcome their petty disagreements and actually talk things out without one of them storming off half-cocked.

Dean swung the car in a U-Turn and Sam yelped as his head hit the passenger's side window but Dean ignored him and drove back to Buffy's house. Damn it all to hell, he just wanted one minute to tell her he loved her without interference.

He pulled up at the curb again and got out, the door groaning again as it slammed shut behind him and he crossed the lawn in three strides. He jumped up the stairs and took a moment to collect himself before knocking on the door with a closed fist. He put his hands behind his head and looked around and back at his brother who was watching from the Impala.

When the door was pulled open by Buffy he grabbed her around the waist and hauled her close, capturing her mouth in a hard, demanding kiss. She kissed him back after the initial surprise wore off and wove her arms around his neck. When he pulled back for air, he brushed a hand through her hair and kissed her again firmly.

"I'm sorry, it's just that Angel makes me a little crazy." He said in a hoarse whisper and he kissed her again, lingering long enough to gently nip her bottom lip and she moaned in response. "Forgive me?" He asked and she let out a breathless nod. He followed her inside and she leapt up to wrap her legs around his waist. He broke away to look around for Joyce but she assured him between kisses that her mother was at the gallery so he carried her up the stairs to her room, kicking the door shut behind him.


End file.
